Having a clear-out and wondering where to donate your children’s unwanted, gently used toys? Fortunately, we’ve got answers! From charities and children’s hospitals to toy recycling services, here’s our list of the top places that accept toy donations in the UK!
Where to Donate Children’s toys:
1. Charities
When it comes to donating toys, most of us immediately think of giving them to charity. And luckily, there are many great organisations in the UK that accept used toys! For example, The Toy Project collects unwanted toys year-round and redistributes them to children in need.
Around Christmastime, many local groups and councils also run toy drives to collect and distribute toys to children. And there’s always the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas Present Appeal.
Finally, most charity shops accept donations of clean, sanitised toys that are in a good, resalable condition. Ask around to find out which shops are accepting donations.
2. Children’s Hospitals
While children’s hospitals are certainly a worthy cause, most hospitals cannot accept used or secondhand toys due to the high standards of infection control.
However, if you have unused toys or items that never found their way out of the box, some hospitals have charities that will accept them. For example, the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity has a list of in-demand toys and information about what they can and cannot accept on its website. It’s also worth checking your local children’s hospital website for their specific policies.
3. Toy Recycling Services
If you have plastic toys, including Lego, that you want to donate, you might look into a toy recycling service, such as Toys 4 Life. This organisation aims to stop plastic waste pollution by collecting unwanted plastic toys and redistributing them to children in need around the world. Toys 4 Life has toy bank locations in some UK areas, or you can request a free donation box, which you can fill and post back to them.
4. Local Online Groups
If you can’t find a charity that will take your toys, it’s worth trying your luck on local online groups. Snap some photos and post your offerings on ‘Buy Nothing’ groups on Facebook, or try give-away apps and websites such as Freecycle, Olio or Gumtree.
Of course, don’t forget to clean and sanitise the toys, just as you would if you were giving them to charity. And who knows? Your unwanted toys might just find a wonderful new home!
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