When you have a baby, you soon realise that they need a lot of ‘stuff’ from clothing to sterilisers, cots, prams, pushchairs, highchairs… the list goes on. But children grow and soon many items can become redundant even though there is still lots of life in them. Furthermore, as your child outgrows one thing, they will need something else to suit their size/age and stage in life. So, what can you do, particularly when money is short, and every penny is needed for more than one purpose?
In 2019, first time mum Sandra Cleary who lives in Witney had a one-year-old son and was faced with paying high nursery fees so buying additional items each month for her growing child was a financial strain. Having heard about a Facebook group which existed in Oxford, founded by Mim Saxl, which handed on items a child no longer uses but which is useful to another family. Sandra contacted an admin of the group and asked for permission to set up a similar group covering Witney and the surrounding area. Having received the go ahead, it was not long before the group grew larger than Sandra had ever anticipated, and people were joining from around West Oxfordshire.
“The Hand Me on Community’ works like a lending library,” Sandra explains. “Our focus is reducing our carbon footprint by re-using wherever possible. Members submit a post containing certain information about the items, along with a photo. Members comment to be considered and the person who submits the post can then choose who they want to give the item to, based on the comments received. The selected member collects the item and once they no longer need it, it is put back into the ‘Hand Me On’ group for another family to use. Members can also submit request posts.”
The ‘Hand Me on Community’ accepts anything from baby items such as cots, sterilisers, clothing and toys to school shoes, uniforms, games as well as items that parents/guardians might use.
“We are not a charity, just parent volunteers running a group that we are passionate about as we are supporting one another as well as doing our bit for the environment. We all love the ethos of the group and are open to families of all financial backgrounds. The group is extremely rewarding, and we try to celebrate our fabulous community by doing a Member of the Month. Our West Oxfordshire group focuses on family use of items. We also have a separate page which is community focused where we post on behalf of nurseries and schools to request items they may need, share events and posts of interest to parents. We also try to support local businesses and communities through our separate Facebook facebook.com/handmeonwestoxon and hold give aways too.”
The West Oxfordshire group link is facebook.com/groups/handmeonwestoxon and the page link is facebook.com/handmeonwestoxon.
The group covers all of West Oxfordshire and their current membership is close to 3,200 people. An admin team of four, comprising of Sandra, Lucy, Erin, and Sarah Jane, approve around 2,600 posts each month, whilst moderating around 13,000 comments. Without everyone working together tirelessly, fewer people would have been helped since it was established.
The original Oxford group works alongside those covering Abingdon, Banbury, Bicester, Didcot, Drayton, Faringdon, Kidlington, Thame and Wantage. The groups all work together, including the West Oxfordshire area, to ensure they run smoothly. There are some variations as to what items the groups will include as some will ‘Hand Me On’ household items, pet items and there is also a group dealing with school uniforms. A list of official groups can be found at facebook.com/HandMeOnCommunity.
The group focuses on own family use. We also have a separate page that is community focused. We post on the page on behalf of nurseries and schools to request items they might need, share events and posts of interest to parents, support local family related businesses and post give aways supported by local businesses.
