Council launches pre-loved toys scheme for sixth year!

Give pre-loved toys a new home this festive season! From Monday 28 October, Christmas toy containers have been set up at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s five Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) and three leisure centres as part of a toy donation scheme.

This is the sixth year the scheme has been implemented and in 2023 alone, Council collected and gifted over 3.2 tonnes of toys.

Council is once again working in partnership with Restore (East Belfast Mission), Larne, Family Support Practitioner, Habitat for Humanity, Larne Community Care Centre, Sure Start, Home Start and local primary schools.

Over 8.5 million toys are thrown away each year in the UK. In 2023 Council diverted over 3.2 tonne of toys from landfill and gifted them to local communities, this is over 50% more than the 2021 tonnage diverted and gifted. Council is hoping to exceed this figure this Christmas, reducing landfill, protect the environment and help others.

Residents across the Borough are being invited to drop off pre-loved and unwanted toys to special designated containers at each of the sites. Donated toys must be clean, complete and good quality i.e. what you’d provide to your own child.

The project will run between Monday 28 October and Friday 13 December.

Toy drop-off points will be at Council’s five Household Recycling Centres and three leisure centres listed below:

Ballymena area:

· Waveney Road HRC, Ballymena – Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm.

· Seven Towers Leisure Centre – Monday – Friday 9am – 9pm, Saturday 9am – 5pm and Sunday 12pm – 5pm.

Larne area:

· Redlands HRC, Larne – Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm.

· Larne South HRC, Islandmagee – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 9am – 5pm.

· Glenarm HRC – Wednesday and Saturday 9am – 5pm.

· Larne Leisure Centre – Monday – Friday 9am – 9pm, Saturday 9am – 5pm, Sunday 11am – 5pm.

Carrickfergus area:

· Sullatober HRC, Carrickfergus – Monday – Saturday 9am – 5pm, Sunday 1pm – 5pm.

· Amphitheatre Leisure Centre – Monday – Friday 9am – 9pm, Saturday 9am – 5pm, Sunday 9am – 5pm.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Beth Adger MBE, said:

“This scheme is the perfect opportunity for people to reduce the number of old, unwanted toys they have in a more sustainable way – while supporting those who struggle most during the Christmas period.

“We hope that residents will drop off items such as – kid’s bicycles, scooters, plastic seesaws, small plastic slides, games, V-Tech toys, jigsaws, books, dolls, robots, most plastic/wooden toys – in good working order. We do not accept soft plush toys e.g. teddy bears.

“With Mid and East Antrim being the first Council in Northern Ireland to set up a scheme of this nature, I’ve been amazed at the level of community spirit supporting it, which has built year-on-year.”

Site attendants and leisure centre staff can direct residents to the Christmas Toy Container at each site. Council will then donate these to local charities who will provide access to the public to purchase these unwanted and pre-loved toys, at a very reasonable price and will also provide to local community centres and other delivery partners who will gift them to local families across the Borough.

Isobel Kerr, Habitat for Humanity, added:

“We are delighted to be part of the Christmas Toy Container at a time of year which can be so challenging for families on low incomes. We look forward to being able to offer families the opportunity to get good quality toys at low cost.”

A spokesperson for East Belfast Mission, added:

“Larne Restore are delighted to be part of this great partnership at a time when we should all be thinking of others.”

By donating unwanted/pre-loved toys, it’s a win-win. Not only will you get to clear some space in your home, but your old toys will also be given a new home with a family that may find it harder at this time of the year.

For further information, please contact waste.helpdesk@midandeastantrim.gov.uk or alternatively phone 0300 124 5000, Option 0.