The national campaign promotes passing on good-quality, outgrown toys and collecting pre-loved items for free, extending the life of toys and making second-hand gifting a positive choice. Cumberland Council's Hosted Waste Reduction Team is organising a community toy swap event at Carlisle Market Hall on Friday 20 November, running from 9am to 5pm.
Staff at Cumberland Council are also donating unwanted toys at collection points located at Cumbria House, West Cumbria House, Market Hall in Whitehaven, and Parkhouse at Kingmoor Business Park.
“"Many families have toys, games and books at home which their children have outgrown but which still have plenty of life left in them. The Big Toy Swap is a simple way to give those items a new home, prevent good-quality toys from going to waste and help families find Christmas gifts without the added expense. We are pleased to be supporting this national campaign here in Cumberland and would encourage people to come along to the Carlisle event, please just pop in and bring what you can take what you need."
The team is seeking clean, complete, and good-condition toys, games, puzzles, and children’s books. Battery-operated items must be in full working order. Items that are broken, incomplete, unsafe, or stained, and soft toys without a CE label, cannot be accepted.
The Carlisle Market Hall event is part of broader activities across Cumberland. A swap has already occurred in Workington, with upcoming events including St Bees Village Hall on Saturday 7 November from 2pm. Surplus toys may be passed to other local swaps. The Big Toy Swap, which originated in Kendal, has grown into a national campaign.
