Good toys deserve another go.

Where it began

Back in 2022, the cost of living was rising and Christmas was becoming increasingly expensive for families.

As parents ourselves, we knew another truth all too well: children can lose interest in toys remarkably quickly. Something that cost a small fortune one Christmas can be gathering dust by the next.

So Hayley Taylor and Trish Smith, with the help of the MyPudsey team and its volunteers, came up with the idea for Pudsey Toy Swap.

Instead of perfectly good toys sitting unused or being thrown away, why not pass them on for another family to enjoy?

The first Pudsey Toy Swap

On 19 November 2022, we opened the doors at Pudsey House for our very first Toy Swap.

In the weeks beforehand, donations started arriving thick and fast. Spare rooms filled up, garages disappeared beneath piles of toys, and it quickly became clear that Pudsey had got behind the idea.

By the time the doors opened, Pudsey House had been transformed into a treasure trove of toys, books and games ready to find new homes.

We also had children’s arts and crafts on the day, including decorating baubles for the MyPudsey Christmas tree at the Fulneck Christmas Tree Festival.

What started as an idea to make Christmas a little easier had turned into a proper community event.

More than a Christmas swap

That first event was never meant to become the last.

Since then, Pudsey Toy Swap has returned with events throughout the year, giving local families more opportunities to clear out things they no longer need and find something new to them.

And despite the name, you don’t actually need something to swap.

If you’ve got toys, books or games to donate, brilliant. You can even donate them ahead of an event.

If you haven’t got anything to bring, that’s absolutely fine too. You’re still welcome to come along, have a browse and take something your family can make use of.

There’s no one-for-one system and nobody’s keeping score.

Why we do it

Pudsey Toy Swap is about two things that fit together rather nicely: helping families and reducing waste.

Every toy that’s passed from one family to another is something that doesn’t need to be bought new and something perfectly usable that gets another chance to be played with.

For one family it might just be a toy their child has finished with.

For another, it could be a birthday present, a Christmas present, a new favourite book or simply something that keeps a little one entertained for the next six months.

That’s why we keep doing it.

Run by the community, for the community

Pudsey Toy Swap is volunteer-run and relies on the generosity of local people who donate items, give their time, help us spread the word and support our events.

From those first garages full of toys in 2022 to the swaps we’re still running today, it’s the support of the Pudsey community that has kept the whole thing going.

And hopefully there are plenty more swaps still to come.

Got something to donate, fancy helping out, or want to know when the next Toy Swap is happening?