T is for Toy Fair 2018 Reports - The Toy Project - Toy Charity

One of the nicest things that we encountered at the Toy Fair was the Toy Project, a charity that uses toys to bring toys to children that need toys, founded in 2013 and doing great things.

They may be helping under-privileged kids from poor backgrounds, or neglected communities, they may be in a hospice, working with kids recently bereaved of a parent or sibling, or - as in one of the charity's most recent interventions - they may be aiding the victims of disaster; the Project provided toys for the survivors of the Grenfell Tower atrocity.

Although they are 'toy' based or toy-centred, both in the delivery and the fund-raising angles, they do also accept donations of money or help in other ways, as any sensible charity does, and have several corporate sponsors.

And it's not just about recycling old toys as gifts, the monies raised through the donations, the sponsorship and the toys sold though the shop Archway, London; also go toward funding  activities like face-painting workshops in hospitals, children's libraries, Christmas boxes, play-schemes . . . things that most children take for granted in one of the ten wealthiest countries on Earth, but which increasing numbers of children find themselves without.

The shop takes those toys which are perhaps not suitable for gifting (smaller items, incomplete sets and such like), possibly along with a portion of any bulk-donated new stock, and sells them to raise cash which can then be used for other costs associated with the project, books and bookshelves for a library, or outdoor play-equipment for the Grenfell nursery - for instance.

Costs are further kept to the absolute minimum by the charity being almost wholly staffed by volunteers, and if you think you can help, get in touch - it's obviously London based, but they need collection points everywhere, donors/supporters anywhere and do some work overseas.

The Toy Project doesn't only have corporate sponsors; that's you-know-who, and if it's good enough for him, it's got to be good enough for anyone!

thetoyproject.co.uk (can be slow to load)

+44 (0)7590 256 530 (from abroad)

07590 256 530 (UK)

SHOP

99 Junction Road, Archway N19 5QX

OPENING TIMES

Mon–closed

Tues–Saturday 10am-6pm

Sunday–closed

The reason we were attracted to their stand at the show was because the display was mostly figural! Papo, Schleich, stuff which looks suspiciously like Phidel, lots of Playmobile, just the one Deetail cowboy, anonymous action figures, it's a 'what can you spot' moment!

From these are made-up the little boxes which are sold in the shop, there may be more on the shop in a forthcoming issue of Plastic Warrior, of not, I'll try and get a follow-up organised for here.

A close-up of the far end of the previous shot, the Clanger is - I think - from a kids comic, but there are very similar commercial play-sets so I won't commit to one or the other (hate to be 'corrected' by TJF again!), but some of them are in the queue!

This pile was less sorted, but more of the same; it looks as if Phidel may be responsible for a Simpsons set? And is the other character from Futurama? There's a Monster in My Pocket hidden under what looks like a Papo knight, Star Wars, Sesame Street, a large sheep-dog - all sorts!

One wonders why a rich nation needs 20,000-odd registered charities, but it does, the state seems to exist only to give the establishment a reason to expect us to provide their lifestyle needs from our 'hard-earned', but there you go, we tolerate the situation, century after century!

If you want to support a charity, one so close to our various hobbies is as good a cause as any, indeed - a worthy one.