Council and democracy

Toys to You - mobile toy library launched in borough

Young children in Croydon will soon have more toys to play with as the Pre School Learning Alliance opens its new mobile toy library in partnership with Croydon Council. Deputy Mayor, Councillor Robert Askey will officially launch the project in North End, Croydon, at 12.15 pm on Friday 4 July.

'Toys to You' is a partnership project which aims to increase play opportunities for preschool children by allowing them to borrow toys. Big Lottery Funding of £80,000 has enabled the Pre School Learning Alliance to purchase and adapt a bus which will travel to community groups and specific locations across the borough throughout the year. The project is especially targeted at parents with young families and communities such as travellers or those for whom English is a second language. It is also intended to signpost information to these hard-to-reach groups.

Funding to equip the bus with brand new toys has come from a variety of sources including Croydon’s children’s centres which are also an active partner in Toys to You. The toys are curriculum-based and will range from tricycles to teething rings, and the bus is designed with space on board for children to share books.

By joining the project, children will automatically become a member of Croydon libraries and the library service is working closely with the play development team to ensure that books as well as toys will be available from the bus. Toys and books can be returned to any library or children's centre in the borough.

During the summer the bus will be visiting parks across the borough to encourage participation before the project programme commences in September.

Croydon's cabinet member for culture and sport, Councillor Steve Hollands said: "We are grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for supplying the initial funding to set up the bus but Toys to You is a great example of different agencies working together to get a project up and running.  We know that learning through play is the best way to start children on the right path in life and we hope that by making it easier for them to access toys and have fun with this lovely bus, we may help influence their lives for the better at an early age."

For more information, please contact Toys to You manager, Louise Hibbet on 07800 777 037