Annual toy collective is once again helping South Tyneside parents this Christmas

The third annual South Tyneside toy collective is set to be held at Marine Park School, on Hatfield Square, in South Shields to help support struggling parents this Christmas.

The event is open to everyone from 10am until 1pm on Sunday, December 8. It is run on a ‘no money needed’ basis – parents and carers are simply invited to drop in and take what items they can use for free.

All of the items donated are good quality pre-loved toys that range from dolls and cars, to books and everything in between.

It was initially set up in 2022 by South Tyneside Green Party councillor Sarah McKeown as a way of helping families combat the cost of living crisis.

Cllr McKeown has told the Gazette that she feels like initiatives like this are needed more than ever as prices continue to rise.

She said: “It is great that it is growing and the support we are receiving is also growing but it is really sad at the same time due to the fact that the cost of living crisis isn’t going away.

“I feel like this is needed more than ever this year due to the prices of everything - it is just getting worse for people.

“It is great that we can do something that helps people with that, especially around Christmas because it is already a stressful time of year.

“There is no money involved at all, Marine Park School have been extremely accommodating and it truly feels like a community effort.

“It has been a really lovely event in the last couple of years and it is nice to see families and children come along to pick out Christmas presents.

“People are welcome to come and take what they can use but the bonus of this is that good quality toys are getting a new lease of life.

“It is potentially saving a lot of plastic from going to landfill this year - we are making pre-loved re-loved.”

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Full details for the event are as follows:

• Date: Sunday, December 8.
• Venue: Marine Park Primary School, Hatfield Square, South Shields, NE33 2RD.
• Opening hours: 10am until 1pm.