A Teignmouth pub has taken up the reins of a popular Christmas toy appeal to ensure children across Teignbridge receive a festive gift this year.

The Brass on Hollands Road has agreed to receive toys on behalf of HITS Foodbank following the closure of the Whistlestop Café at Teignmouth railway station, which used to run the annual collection.

‘We are very grateful to Jamie Ayre and Byron Beacham, owners of The Brass, for taking this on. They are great community champions,’ commented HITS chair David Cox.

HITS is asking for Christmas presents suitable for children under the age of 12 to be dropped off at the pub.

As well as supporting the HITS Christmas toy campaign, The Brass also serves as the Teignmouth Poppy Appeal base and holds regular fundraisers for charities and events such as Teignmouth Pride.

‘Melissa Middleton BEM of the Whistlestop Cafe kindly collected hundreds children's toys for HITS over a decade,’ said HITS trustee Trisha Kirkby. ‘With the cafe closed, we are very pleased the Brass has stepped in.’

Community minded Melissa didn’t only take in toys, she also welcomed hamper products and raffle prizes for HITS and ran many other fundraising activities over the 20 years she ran the Whistlestop cafe.

The railway station cafe closed last year when Melissa retired due to ill health. In over 20 years of running the Whistlestop, she had raised more than half a million pounds for charity.

Melissa operated a pay it forward scheme to ensure those less fortunate might be able to enjoy a drink or meal and provided warm coats via a donation rack. She also hosted weekly bike nights and supported their regular fundraisers and sold art and memorabilia in the café to raise money for the Devon Equine Crisis Support charity she founded with her late husband Bill.