Toys, games and jigsaw puzzles will soon be borrowed again in Alton after it was announced that the Alton Community Share will resume next month.

This community-powered project, run by the Alton Climate Action Network, is a free toy library designed to reduce the cost of having new things to play with and prevent some much-loved items ending up in landfill sites.

At the end of September last year the original volunteers, Martin and Helen, said they would step down from their roles after more than four years at the end of 2024, and the library’s stock of toys was donated to Alton children in time for Christmas.

But new volunteers have stepped forward to revive the project, to the delight of Alton Climate Action Network trustee Jenny Griffiths.

She told the Herald: “Alton Community Share, an informal lending library of toys, games and jigsaws, is one of Alton Climate Action Network’s oldest and most appreciated groups, bringing fun and joy to families and preventing waste through re-use.

“After the brilliant volunteers who had run it without a break for over four years stepped down at Christmas, we were thrilled when new volunteers came forward to re-launch it – and develop it further.”

Now the race is on to get some more pre-loved gems on to the library’s shelves in time for when it opens its doors again at the Parish of the Resurrection Centre next to the Church of St Lawrence on April 12.

A spokesperson for Alton Community Share said: “Thanks to the generosity of new volunteers within the community, we are now ready to restock our library of toys and resume lending.

“To kick off this exciting new chapter, we are inviting the community to donate toys at the Parish of the Resurrection Centre on March 22 and 29 from 2pm until 4pm.

“A grand re-opening celebration will take place on April 12 from 2pm until 4pm. We encourage families to join us for free nature-themed face painting, delicious free buffet food from SustainaBites - another local project, promoting plant-based food - and to explore our new selection of toys available for borrowing.

“After the re-opening, Alton Community Share will be open on the second Saturday of every month from 2pm until 4pm. We look forward to welcoming families back to this much-loved community initiative.”

For more information email [email protected]