Donating pre-loved items can reduce your waste this Christmas
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THERE is no better time to consider donating toys or picking up good value second hand treats to cut costs as a survey commissioned by the British Heart Foundation shows that 40 per cent find their little ones can get fed up with new items within just seven days.
With a growing awareness of the importance of cutting down on waste, the BHF is urging the public to donate items that no longer appeal or shop for second-hand gifts.
It says that operating a one in one out approach could help reduce the number of toys that will go to landfill in the new year.
The survey also reveals nearly a third of parents have thrown away toys in perfect working order – items which could help charities raise vital funds if donated and resold.
The charity hopes to encourage more people to have a Green Christmas by buying pre-loved items for as little as £1 and donating what they don’t need at the same time.
BHF's sustainability manager David Roman said: “These figures show just how quickly kids can lose interest in toys.
“As a parent, I am all too familiar with the amount of clutter Christmas can generate, but shopping second-hand and donating as you go could help make space for festive gifts and find new homes for old favourites.
“Now more than ever, it’s vital that we find ways to minimise waste and cut down on buying new items where possible.
"Second-hand toys are a great way to start and will help keep costs low when doing your Christmas shopping this year!”
The charity hopes to encourage people to donate quality toys in the hope of saving them from landfill and finding them new homes.
Last year those who shopped in or donated to BHF shops helped the charity save 74,000 tonnes of goods from landfill, including clothes, shoes, toys and books.
All money raised from sales of toys goes towards lifesaving research into conditions such as heart attack, stroke and vascular dementia, so buying and donating will help the planet as well as help make Christmas wishes come true for the 700,000 people living with heart and circulatory diseases in Scotland.
You can get involved with the British Heart Foundation’s Green Christmas campaign by shopping second-hand and helping to make Christmas wishes come true, and to make it easier to spread the message you can use #BoughtAtBHF when sharing your finds on social media.
For more information you can visit: bhf.org.uk/Christmas.
