Waitress donates tips to charity's festive appeal
Natasha AlsopA waitress who used her tip money to buy toys for a charity's Christmas appeal has been thanked for her "incredible" gesture.
Natasha Alsop, 36, donated her earnings to The Rainbow Centre, saying she wanted to give back after receiving their support earlier in the year.
The charity provides food, clothing and crisis support in Scarborough and Filey, and at Christmas donates presents to children of vulnerable families.
Ms Alsop, who works at Florios Italian restaurant, in Scarborough, said she had been keen to support the appeal and urged others to "look at themselves and think 'what can I do, how can I support this'?"
"I went through some difficult times in my childhood but I was never left without at Christmas," she said.
"I always got what I wanted from Father Christmas and I'd love for other people, when they can't afford to do so, to have the same thing."
Ms Alsop said she had been helped by Rainbow Money, the charity's financial support service.
She said the guidance she received had helped her at a "tricky time" and she wanted to find a way to give back.
After setting aside around a month's worth of tips to spend, she hit the shops.
"Anyone who knows me would say I'm a bit of a big kid, so I went shopping thinking 'what would I have liked as a child?'," she said.
"I was big into girly things like Barbie dolls and Polly Pockets, and I thought, surely kids' tastes won't have changed that much."
BBC/Antony CollinsJo Laking, CEO at The Rainbow Centre said Ms Alsop's gesture was "incredible".
"These toys are very gratefully received - they help people who normally struggle to have the kind of Christmas we take for granted," she said.
"It makes a huge difference - there was about 500 children who got presents from us last year."
The charity's appeal this year aims to raise £10,000 to support those in need over the festive period, alongside distributing food vouchers and children's presents.
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