Toys for play not for sale

A question about : Toys for play not for sale

Hello, due to recent bereavement I have a lot of toys, some new some used some very used.

I would like these to go to children who would play with them and get enjoyment rather than to a charity shop for money.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Best answers:

• Local children's ward at hospital. Maybe if there is a children's hospice nearby. Surestart https://www.gov.uk/find-sure-start-childrens-centre
• Local womens refuge, kids arrive there with nothing but the clothes they stand up in.
• It's often quite hard to give toys away. I had a lot of very good toys, including an immaculate "sit-on" Thomas the Tank Engine, which my mum bought for my son about 2 days before he got bored with Thomas and suddenly got into Spiderman instead!
  I worked in a hospital at the time and the children's ward nurses told me that they can't take second-hand toys because of infection control procedures.
  I called a charity that runs women's refuges and they told me that they had more toys than they had space for.
  I ended up giving them to a local playgroup which is run by my ex-childminder.
• Is there a children's centre near you? They may have a worker who knows of needy families, or projects that would gladly take them off your hands. Does the dr's surgery have a nurse or midwife service who might also be aware of needy local families? A local church might also have some sort of network, too. A local primary or infant school might be aware of a family in difficulties that would appreciate a donated gift.
  Secondly, whereabouts in the country are you? If it's an area that has centres for newly arrived refugees, they can go through hard times when they first arrive. Freecycle can be nice, but I think if you go that route, you just have to let it go and not worry about potential sellers-on, because there is a chance that people will do this, despite how you word it.
  If you do decide to donate it to a charity such a Barnardo's for resale, they will be heartily grateful, and the odds are that it will also be much appreciated by young families who can't afford to buy new, but who scour charity shops for toys and games for their children.
  Finally - what a lovely and kind gesture at what I am assuming must have been a very difficult time. I hope that you are able to do what you're trying to do, and that it is appreciated. Take care.
• Www.postpals.co.uk lists kids who would love them, the site might be very difficult reading for you though
  I'm so sorry to hear of your loss xxxx
• Local playgroup / nursery etc.. They got all our stuff that was in good condition. The wife said the kids faces were a picture when she took them in.
  Problem is they used to get broken into during the holidays and thats all they would take is the toys.
  Just ask them 1st as health and safety may have gone even more mental since we did it.