In pictures: Christmas cheer in the air as 'Bear' hosts 2025 Toy Appeal in Lifford

Click on the arrows to go through the photos by Joe Boland (North West Newspix)

A whopping €7,000 was raised and hundreds of toys collected in The Bear Run 74 2025 Toy Appeal.

A big charity day was hosted on Sunday by Lifford man Keith ‘Bear’ Gamble and the event surpassed his expectations.

Super cars and classic cars gathered from early morning as huge crowds filed in to see the cars and donate toys and money. The money raised will now be used to buy more toys as part of the appeal.

The toys will then be donated to the children’s ward at Letterkenny University Hospital before Christmas. 

This is the fifth year of the Toy Appeal while Bear’s charity fundraising has now passed €260,000.

“I just can’t believe it,” ‘Bear’ says. “I love doing this because the feeling you get when you see the smiles on the wee kids’ faces is just unbelievable. Of all the stuff I do for charity, this is the one for me. It’s class.”

Previously Knockavoe School in Strabane, Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry and Letterkenny University Hospital have benefited from the Top Appeal.

Santa Claus, The Stitch, The Grinch and friends were all in attendance on Sunday too as well as a variety of top cars, including a Porsche GT3-RS, a Porsche 911 Turbo S, a Mustang, and a Lamborghini Huracan. 

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The Bear Run and a variety of car shows over the last five years have benefited charitable causes to the tune of over a quarter-of-a-million euro now. His efforts were recently acknowledged by the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor Ruairi McHugh, who made a presentation in recognition of the fundraising.