This week Uniting Care Wodonga staff members have been delighted to receive a donation of more than 60 wooden toys made by Lavington’s Laurie Smith.

Beautifully finished and brightly coloured, the doll’s cots, cars, animals and puzzles will be handed out to families in need as part of the organisation’s Christmas appeal.

Mr Smith said he had been giving the toys away to various charities since he started making them as a hobby about 12 years ago.

"It's either that or become totally domesticated; I'll go down the shed," he said with a laugh.

"The true answer is I got depression after retirement, retirement's a silly thing unless you've got yourself pre-planned, and that's where that basically came from, to solve that problem."

Uniting Care Wodonga manager Naomi Jansen said the durable, tactile toys, painted with non-toxic dye, would help bring some magic into children’s lives.

"Christmas time's really, really important to families and bringing people together,” she said.

“These are the sort of gifts that do that. 

"It's purposeful, it actually can be handed on to generations to come.

“They’re going to last.”