Spread some festive cheer by donating unwanted toys ahead of Christmas

We are asking residents to spread holiday cheer by donating unwanted toys ahead of the festive season, to help struggling families.

8.5 million toys are thrown away every year in the UK. 

If your children are on the ‘nice list’ this year and will be unwrapping new presents on Christmas morning, take a look around the house and gather up any toys that are in good condition but are no longer being played with. 

By donating these toys ahead of the festive period rather than in the new year, you can help struggling families find good quality toys for less. 

All types of toys, in good condition, are welcome and will be greatly appreciated by families facing financial difficulties. 

There are a number of ways to give unwanted toys a new home this Christmas: 

• Richmond Freegle is run by volunteers and enables local residents to exchange unwanted items free of charge. You can search or browse for free items currently available in your area
• Donate unwanted clothes, shoes or electrical items (including toys) by booking a collection with TRAID  
• The Charity Retail Association's shop finder has details of all the charity shops in the borough 

All offer a great opportunity to reduce the number of unwanted toys you have in a more sustainable way, while supporting those who struggle most during the Christmas period. 

If you have any toys that need a repair before they are played with again, check out the local repair cafes in the borough:

• Twickenham repair café
• Kew the transition repair and share events 

If you would like to carry out repairs yourself, you can borrow items including sewing machines from our Library of Things in Twickenham. You can sign up on their website for a 25% concessionary membership or get 10% off your first borrow using code TWICKENHAMLOT10. 

Let's come together to make this Christmas special for every child in Richmond upon Thames.