Christmas nativity costume swap helps Torfaen families

Samantha Price has been spreading some Christmas cheer

A Christmas outfit recycling scheme has helped 30 families find nativity costumes.

The donate and swap initiative was set up in Torfaen to help parents find a free outfit for their child's school play.

After the success of a similar scheme for school uniforms, Samantha Price from Pontypool thought it could help those struggling.

A Facebook group attracted more than 1,000 members in a week.

"It's a good way of recycling clothes which you don't need anymore," said the mother-of-two.

"Children grow out of clothes so quickly and a lot of the time, the outfits are still in good condition."

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The group allows people to donate and give clothes by getting in touch online and arranging to meet or send them through the post.

Mrs Price added: "It's already an expensive time of year for parents, and if they have more than one child then the cost is just doubled.

"The page has had a great response, and I know a lot of people have used it and had costumes for free and others have donated costumes.

"I think this is a good example of helping others at this time of year."

Her own daughters Mia, 10 and Jasmine, four, have been in eight plays since starting school, and needed different costumes for each one.

"Sometimes you can't find the costume you're looking for, or people can't afford to buy an outfit, so I think that's why this idea really took off," she said.

Donna Goodger got an outfit for her daughter Phoebe

Sarah Jane, 34, from Cwmbran needed an elf costume for her daughter's Christmas play.

"As soon as I put the post up I was amazed at how fast people were offering their costumes," she said.

"The next day I had an elf costume for my daughter thanks to the kindness of other people."

She also donated a costume to the group that she no longer needed.

"These outfits are worn once or twice and then they're not needed, so it's a good way of giving back to the community," she added.

Donna Goodger, 38, from Cwmbran, donated a sheep costume to someone who needed it for their child's nativity.

She said: "They asked me what they should do it with it after, and I said carry this act on and donate it to whoever else needs it. It shows the spirit of Christmas."