Real life Christmas Elves give the gift of life to pre-loved toys
As Christmas rapidly approaches, one group of senior citizens is turning pre-loved toys into new Christmas gifts for kids in need.
According to data released by eco-retailer Flora & Fauna, Australians spend over $1 billion each Christmas on new toys for kids, but 26.8 million end up in the bin.
At the same time, 1.6 million Aussies can’t afford a Christmas gift for their children.
To help parents give their kids a surprise to enjoy this Christmas, Flora & Fauna has teamed up with The Peninsula Senior Citizens Toy Repair Group Inc and We Care Connect to transform donated toys into new Christmas gifts through its ‘Surprisingly Better Christmas’ initiative.
Pre-loved toys diverted from landfill are given a chance to be loved by someone new. Image: Supplied
“Our group has been around for 45 years and we have about 30 members at the moment from all walks of life,” says Terry Cook, President of The Peninsula Senior Citizens Toy Repairs Group Inc.
“We have retired engineers, accountants, school secretaries, opera singers, producers and so on. Every week the volunteers come in for a few days to repair or clean damaged toys which we then donate to charity to help families and children in need.”
This isn’t the first time members of the organisation have used their efforts for a good cause either, having sent toys to children in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Fiji.
So when they were approached by Flora & Fauna, Mr Cook said that it was a chance for the members to give “one of the best gifts we can provide to families and children in need this Christmas”.
Volunteers meet up weekly to repair and restore preloved toys. Image: Supplied
“Children generally have a short attention span, so they get bored with a toy very quickly, even though it may still be in a usable or brand new condition,” he explains.
“Our job is simple - we save the toy from landfill and give the toys a new lease on life which will bring infinite joy each time it goes into a child’s hands.”
For Mr Cook, volunteering his time is also a great motivator.
“It gets me out of bed every morning and it’s also a great social activity for the members to look forward to - we always have a morning tea together,” he says.
The upcycled toys will be donated to We Care Connect, a charity that supports vulnerable children in the Central Coast and Hunter regions of New South Wales.
Some of the toys will also be re-sold through the Flora & Fauna website.
Helen Barker, a spokesperson at We Care Connect, says the initiative could benefit families who need it most this Christmas.
“A donated toy could help bring Christmas Joy to a mum who’s left a violent home with her two children and minimal belongings, a family experiencing unthinkable financial hardship, or a single parent with multiple children who might have a medical condition,” she says.
“The causes of poverty are complex, but helping a child in need is simple.”
With the appeal of receiving something shiny and new being at an all-time high around Christmas, Flora & Fauna’s CEO and founder Julie Mathers says it is just as important to consider the afterlife of toys we purchase.
“The research revealed 45 percent of parents say their child gets bored of a new toy and discards it in just three months,” she explains.
“By taking in the discarded pre-loved toys and giving them a new purpose, not only are we saving them from landfill, but we’re also fulfilling the wishes of many children who simply want to wake up on Christmas Day to the teddy bear they’ve been dreaming of having.”
For those looking to give their toys a new home, Mr Cook says the organisation takes in anything and everything.
“We take all sorts of toys, be it a stuffed animal, puzzles, electric race car or a dollhouse. If you ever had a favourite toy from your childhood, chances are you’ll find it in our warehouse.”
Image: Supplied