Tip toy donation point to gather Christmas gifts

A group is hoping to open a toy donation point at a tip to stockpile free gifts for families ahead of Christmas.

The Darlington Toy Exchange was started by Macauley Macdonald and his partner in November 2025 and they gathered hundreds of donations.

Their toy exchange stall has continued running in Darlington Indoor Market but the couple hope a new point at the town's tip will give them "a big head start" ahead of the festive period.

The group is asking businesses to help find a suitable metal or plastic shed to function as a donation point and plans to open in early September.

Macdonald said it was "amazing" last Christmas to see how appreciated the toy exchange was and hopes this year they can build up a stockpile of good gifts.

He said: "We would spend a bit of time at the stall and we overheard natural reactions of appreciation and people were happy and proud to see that something like that was happening in town.

"It was quite obvious that people did need and it and appreciate it."

Macdonald asked people donating to think about books or outdoor toys for older children.

He warned the exchange did not have facilities to fix toys and asked people to check them before dropping them off.

A Darlington Borough Council spokesperson encouraged anyone with "good quality toys they no longer need to consider donating them".

They said: "We're pleased to be supporting this initiative, which encourages residents to think about how unwanted toys can be reused rather than thrown away.

"Schemes like this help to reduce waste, promote reuse, and support our wider efforts to create a more sustainable borough."

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