South Bristol Toy Library helps families save money and the planet

The founder of Bristol’s only toy library said he wanted to help recycle and re-use toys in the community and reduce costs for families.

Founded in 2015 by Annie Berry, the South Bristol toy library aims to reduce waste and give more children access to more – and sometimes expensive – toys.

The library moved to Bedminster in March this year and currently has over 1,400 toys available.

Ms Berry said: “It can be really hard to be a parent, so having a place that is effectively a giant toy shop in your community can be simple, but sometimes it can be life-changing.”

The library was established by Mrs. Berry after returning from living in New Zealand, where toy libraries are common.

She received funding from Bristol European Green Capital 2015 to buy micro scooters, which parents could rent out and return ready for the next person.

“Scooters were quite expensive to buy, so it was a useful way for parents to see if their kids got along with them,” she said.

Working from her home, they soon raised enough money from the program to rent a site in West Street, Bristol, for a larger library.

Ms Berry worked with St Philips recycling center on a pilot project to save items from landfill, bringing more toys to the library.

“It showed us that there is a massive amount of resources going into landfill,” Ms Berry said.

“Some of those toys are still in circulation at the library now.”

Since then, the library’s main cause has been to inspire parents and carers to reuse and recycle toys.

The library currently has 688 children using the toys, with 140 active members and 260 loans since January this year.

On average, the team said 50 parents and children will attend each session.

Stacy Yelland, who is overseeing the library after Ms Berry retired in 2019, said people use it to support the environment, to take out toys they may not have space for at home or can’t afford and to allow children to choose gender-specific toys.

Library volunteer Ava Lorenc, a member of the climate group Mother’s Rebellion, added: “It amazes me that more people don’t use libraries in general – they’re free.

“And we need to stop buying plastic toys.”

The toy library is open every Saturday from 10am to 12pm at St Michael and All Angels Church.

Membership per family is £15 per year, with the library offering reduced prices if required.