Lancashire Toy Rescue
Save an unwanted soft toy and share your adventures this summer
In Lancashire we are always doing our best to reduce waste by recycling and reusing as much as possible. This summer we have put an alert out to staff working at the recycling centres to rescue any good quality soft toys that are too good to waste so they can continue their lives and enjoy the summer in new homes.
When and where they are available
From Thursday 18 July 2024, you can help by adopting a rescued soft toy at one of our reuse shops at Garstang, Preston and Burnley recycling centres. Each toy deserves a second chance for love and comes with a personality, history and tales to tell. All toys are reasonably priced. We can only sell what we've rescued, so stocks are limited and we expect them to find new homes soon after hitting the shelves.
Our reuse shops offer lots of other pre-loved bargains from furniture and homeware to clothing and books.
Share your adventures
We'll miss the friendly toys on our shelves and would love to know what the rescued toys have been getting up to in their new homes and out and about.
If you've got a #LancsToyRescue adventure you'd like to share with us then here's how:
- Post your pics or videos to Instagram using the hashtag #LancsToyRescue and @lancashirecc, and don't forget to like our page whilst you're there too! Your profile will need to be public for us to see your posts.
- Post a public post with your pics or videos and tag our Facebook page @lancashirecc and include the hashtag #LancsToyRescue. If you don't tag us in we won't see it.
By tagging @lancashirecc in your posts you agree that we can repost them on county council channels which may include Instagram and Facebook.
Why reuse
Soft toys are hard to recycle as they are made from a mixture of materials, so are mixed with general waste if they can't be rescued for reuse. By reusing we are preserving resources and reducing the need for new things.
You can help to prevent waste by donating good quality items, including soft toys to charity shops to help them to raise much needed funds.
More information
We carefully select and prepare all the toys for reuse. They’re in great condition, some even brand new with tags, and all have CE marks. Each toy undergoes an inspection, spot cleaning if needed, and fluffing up of fur and hair to look their best.
Some also enjoy a ride in the washing machine and a dry on the washing line so they're tip-top. Some enjoy this more than others!
While we make every effort to ensure that the toys are in excellent condition, we may not spot some flaws. We don’t know whether there were pets in their previous home, so please check that you are happy with your chosen toy before purchasing.