More than 750 kids across the region will receive presents this year thanks to donations from locals. Thousands of toys, books, sweets and gift vouchers were handed in to libraries over the course of four weeks as part of the North Ayrshire Christmas Gift Appeal. The donations were divided into age categories by the Connected Communities team, before being packaged up to be delivered to the children. Provost Ian Clarkson hailed the efforts of locals and said the donations would make a great difference to the families receiving them. He said: “To say I am blown away by the generosity of North Ayrshire’s communities would be a complete understatement. Nothing could have prepared me for the enormous quantity of donations I witnessed.