Children donate toys to charity at Toy Story 5 screening

Children going to see Tory Story 5 at a cinema in west Wales are being encouraged to donate items to "Andy's Toys" box for charity.

The Palace Cinema in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, is collecting items for SNAP Specialist Play, which supports pre-school aged children with additional and complex needs.

Based at Withybush Hospital in the town, the charity uses play to help with early intervention and assessments.

Cinema manager Hannah Cramp said the response to the appeal has been "overwhelming".

Cramp said the charity's appeal on social media has been "flooded with comments of people asking how they could be involved, and how many toys they're allowed to bring".

"We've only been open for a day and the toy box is already full," she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

She estimated about 90 Toy Story fans had visited the cinema on the film's opening night on Thursday, many in fancy-dress as their favourite characters from the Pixar franchise.

Cindy Jenkins, project manager at SNAP Specialist Play, said it was "amazing" to partner with the cinema for the toy appeal.

"We're thinking, where are all these toys going to go?" Cindy said.

"None of these toys are going to go to waste," she said.

The charity provides early intervention and assessments for children with additional and complex needs, with children attending structure play sessions.

Programmes include speech therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy alongside clinical appointments.

"[Specialists] utilise our service to provide bespoke programmes to the child's needs," she said.

Jenkins said staff then adapt equipment to support children's needs "through the power of play".

"Children don't realise that they're actually having interventions through these therapies," she said.

"They're having too much fun at the same time as us trying to do activities, or work on their fine motoring skills or sensory needs."

"Some of the toys may be pre-loved, some will be bought, but we will utilise everything that we possibly can," she said.

SNAP also plans to use extra toys to entertain siblings of older children attending groups and events, while extra toys could be put aside for visits from Father Christmas, as part of Christmas boxes that charity gives to families.

The Palace Cinema's toy donation box in Haverfordwest will remain open until mid-July.

"There may be too much for the one charity," Cramp said.

"We'll make sure they're distributed nice and fairly, to help kids who might need them."