'Great sadness' over missing donated beach toys

Louise Carson began Borrow A Bucket in 2022

The founder of a local beach toy borrowing service has said that items not being returned has caused her "great sadness" and she might have to end the scheme.

Louise Carson has called for islanders to check whether the toys have gone home with them and to ensure their children understand they are for borrowing only.

Ms Carson began the Borrow A Bucket boxes in 2022 to combat plastic waste at the beach and help children from low income families enjoy beach toys.

She said the toys had been going missing at "a really quick pace" this summer, compared to other years when there had been few issues with the scheme.

'Horribly sad'

Ms Carson said: "If we can't resolve this, then with great sadness we may need to make it the last year for our beach toy boxes.

"I would love for every islander that uses the box to feel responsible for it," she said.

Ms Carson said people should bin any broken toys and not use the boxes like bins, adding that volunteers had found used nappies and loose nails when cleaning the containers.

She continued: "If Jersey is changing to be more like the UK, in so much as, people don't care about each other and community, then that's horribly sad."

The toy boxes are filled monthly by volunteers but anyone can donate

Ms Carson said this year had seen a high number of donations, which had been an "unprecedented success".

One sponsor had donated more than 100 footballs but the toy boxes were now lying nearly empty, she said.

The boxes are located at 12 beaches, including West Park, Long Beach, St Brelade's Bay and Les Laveurs.

Islanders are welcome to donate toys directly into the boxes, including balls, buckets and spades.

Ms Carson asked that floatation toys and boogie boards were not left in the boxes for safety reasons.