A GRANDMOTHER went the extra mile to make sure that young parents and their children had a good Christmas this year.

For the last year, Ann Fryer, 62, from Tunworth Road, Mapledurwell, has been collecting new and unused toys to give to the children of young parents in Basingstoke.

Over 60 toys have been collected for the MaD Fridays group, which supports young parents between the ages of 13 and 21.

The support group, which is offered through Basingstoke Voluntary Services (BVS), helps young parents throughout pregnancy until their child is one.

Ann, who is retired, decided to start collecting toys for MaD Fridays after hearing a guest speech by Natalie Dempsey, from BVS, at The Rotary Club of Basingstoke Deane, of which she is a member.

The mother-of-two and grandmother-of-three told The Gazette: “I have enough toys to give them three presents each thanks to people in Mapledurwell and Up Nately.

“It gives me great satisfaction knowing that 20 children received Christmas presents.”

Mrs Dempsey, teenage pregnancy co-ordinator for BVS, said: “I think Ann and The Rotary Club have been so kind. I am really grateful and it made a big difference to families this Christmas.”

Other services that are provided include MaD Mondays, which supports young parents with children between one and five in Basingstoke and Deane, and MaD Learning Together, which supports young parents as they take their GCSE English and maths qualifications.