Northampton toy library is a ‘valuable service’ to parents in cost of living crisis

A Northampton toy library wants to remind local parents of the valuable service they are providing in the cost of living crisis.

The Camrose Community Toy Library, based at the Camrose Early Years Centre in Tenby Road, allows parents to borrow toys and games for as low as 50p.

Although the toy library has been in existence since 1987, many people still do not know this valuable service exists.

Chairperson of the Camrose community Toy Library, Wendy Leith, said: “Parents love it. A lot of them had never heard of a toy library before and they’ve said it’s a lot like walking into Aladdin’s cave.”

Membership at the library is free and there are currently around 50 members. Toys range from scooters and small ride-ons to soft play equipment to games and jigsaw puzzles. Books are free to borrow.

There are also a variety of sensory toys for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Wendy continued: “It is hard out there at the moment with people worrying about food prices and feeding their kids. Kids need toys because it helps their development and progress. The toy library helps them to play and gives them a variety to choose from.

“Also, you don’t have to worry about storing toys. I am a mum and the way the toys are sitting around and taking up room, it can get a bit messy.”

Toys are usually borrowed for around a week at a time but families can rent the toys out for longer, as long as they let Wendy know on the toy library’s dedicated Facebook page.

The Camrose Community Toy Library, which is sponsored by Earl Charles Spencer, primarily relies on donations. However, Wendy told the Chronicle & Echo that she has used some of her money to make toys available to parents when they have made specific requests.

Wendy said: “All the parents are really grateful for it. It just helps to take the weight off during the cost of living crisis because kids don’t understand that their parents can’t afford new toys all the time. It’s just a way to cheer them up a bit and give parents another option.”

The toy library opens every Wednesday from 10am to 12pm to run alongside the Camrose Early Years Centre’s ‘Time For Yourself’ session, where children stay and play with the toys from the library.

Wendy said they want to encourage more parents to become members of the toy library so that they can continue the fight to stay open and run for more days during the week.

Anyone wanting to make any donations to the community toy library can drop them off at the Camrose Early Years Centre reception when they are open during the week.

For more information and to keep up to date with the toy library, visit the Camrose Community Toy Library Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CamroseCommunityToyLibrary/.