The Reuse Santa Appeal

Our 2024 campaign is scheduled to run from 18th to 30th November, although toys may be accepted until Sunday 1st December.  See below for Frequently Asked Questions or visit our Facebook page to find the latest updates about this year’s campaign.

About The Reuse Santa Appeal

The Reuse Santa Appeal is a charitable campaign to provide help for young people across North Yorkshire who are most in need this Christmas.

This year, we need your help to collect used toys, games, books and puzzles for young people who might otherwise not receive a gift. Not only will this help to make Christmas easier for many families, it will also support the environment by encouraging a ‘Reduce, Re-use, Recycle’ mindset.

Reuse Santa is delivered in partnership with City of York Council, North Yorkshire Council and selected charities.

How Can I Help?

Step 1

Have a sort out of toys. Make sure the toys/books/games you plan to donate are clean, complete and fit for purpose. We’re collecting for all ages of children and young people from birth to 16 years old.

Step 2

Next time you’re taking waste to your nearest York or North Yorkshire Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC), simply bring your pre-loved gifts along too and let the staff know you wish to donate. They will point you in the direction for the Drop Zone. To find your nearest North Yorkshire Household Waste Recycling Centre visit the North Yorkshire Gov website or if you live in York, find your nearest York Household Waste Recycling Centre on the York Gov site.

Step 3

Yorwaste will then collect and distribute your donations to our charity partners for redistribution to children and young people in need, with any additional gifts being sent to charity shops to raise funds for good causes.

Who Are The Charity Partners?

No Wrong Door will gift the pre-loved toys and games to children within or on the edge of the care system. Early Help will gift the donations to children and families needing support while Snappy will support children and young people with disabilities. We are also partnering with community groups within City of York Good Place Network, Colburn Community Hub, Harrogate & Knaresborough Toy Library, British Heart Foundation, the Daisy Chain Project and The Recycle Project CIC to make sure that all donations can be handed out to local children or used to raise money for great causes.

About the Charity No Wrong Door

No Wrong Door is a new way of providing support to young people who are within or on the edge of the care system across North Yorkshire. It replaces traditional council-run young people’s homes with hubs that combine residential care with fostering. Each hub has a dedicated team which includes:

  • A life coach who is a clinical psychologist
  • A speech therapist
  • Two community foster families who work out of the hub and are part of the professional team
  • Community-supported lodging places for 16 and 17 year-olds, again staffed by people who are specially trained and part of the professional team

Previous Reuse Santa appeals

Our first Reuse Santa toy appeal was in 2019.  Despite the coronavirus pandemic, we ran the campaign again in 2020, then again in 2021, 2022 and 2023.  We asked you to donate your unwanted toys to your nearest HWRC, and as a result, you donated tonnes of toys and we were able to help over 2000 children across North Yorkshire who might have otherwise gone without a Christmas present. Last year, we delivered over 5,000 toys – that’s around 20 transit van loads of toys to our charity partners.  So thank you to the generous members of the public in York and North Yorkshire for supporting our appeals.

Struggling with waste over the festive period?

If you’re still struggling to reuse, recycle and sustainably dispose of your waste this Christmas, then check out our ultimate guide on how to reduce Christmas waste where we’ve detailed a load of creative, cost-effective ways to reduce your waste in an eco-friendly way.

FAQs

What age range do I need to cater for?

Please consider the age range from birth to 16 years old and make sure your donations are in the best possible condition for their new owners, with no missing parts and in full working order.

Where can I drop my toys, games, puzzles and books?

There are 22 Household Waste Recycling Centre sites across North Yorkshire and the City of York. You can find your nearest site and their opening times by visiting the North Yorkshire County Council website.

Will drop off points be sign posted at the Household Waste Recycling Centres?

There should be a ‘Drop-off Zone’ poster on display but one of Yorwaste’s friendly members of staff will also be on hand to help.
They will usually be at the entrance of each HWRC site ready to meet and greet you and will show you where to drop off your donation and answer any questions.

Where will my toys/gifts go once I have dropped them off?

Initially, the toys will be taken to a central point for checking, then distributing to our charity partners. The toys will then be gifted to young people across York and North Yorkshire who are in need. Some toy donations may be resold at charity shops for affordable prices and the proceeds supporting children’s good causes.

Are there any items that you don’t accept?

Unfortunately we cannot accept donations that require connecting to a mains electricity supply. Otherwise, there are no limits on the type of donations we can accept. We do ask that all donations are clean, good quality, functioning and complete gifts that are suitable for young people aged between 0 and 16. This could be anything from a book to a snooker table!

Is there a closing date for the Reuse Santa Appeal?

We ask that you bring along your donations by 30th November so that the gifts may be delivered to our charity partners in time for Christmas. However, we will continue to accept donations for a short period after the deadline.