Christmas has a way of bringing out the best in people, drawing communities together and lavishing in the joy of giving.
But not all families are as privileged as others and sometimes, it takes a little extra effort to spark that magic.
That’s where Tom Charlton and the rest of the Bean Express team come in.
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What started as an idea to bring a little extra cheer to kids in need has now blossomed into a heartwarming community event that’s set to grow.
For the first time ever, Brisbane was home to the Truckies Twilight Toy Run, bringing Christmas cheer to families affected by domestic violence.
This event is now here to stay as 16 trucks, five BnS Utes, truckies and community members came together.
Hosted by the Mower Supastore and transport company Bean Express, both owned by Chris Doosey, toys of all kinds were donated to this important cause.
“Everyone enjoyed themselves at the show,” Bean Express driver Tom Charlton says.
“We chose to do this event to give back to kids in need, put a smile on everyone’s faces over Christmas and to show support to a good cause that is very close to our hearts.
“This event was huge for me, domestic violence is something I’ve seen a lot of or have had friends or family members go through, so giving back meant a lot to me.”
The team are beyond grateful for the generous number of toys donated by everyone involved, even those who couldn’t make it.
“A highlight for me was the amount of donations we received, the smiles on everyone’s faces and hearing all the good feedback about our show was really special.
“It meant a lot to the community as well, just seeing lots of generous people come out to support us and people who need help, despite such short notice was great.”
While the Toy Run may be wrapped up for this year, it was only the beginning.
With more planning time, Tom is already looking ahead for next year as the team throw ideas around for more added activities and events for crowds to be entertained by.
“It’s just going to get bigger and better every year,” he says.
The donations collected were handed over to the Caboolture Neighbourhood Centre yesterday, with Santa personally distributing them to local families.
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