Over the years, the
number of community groups have grown so that there is a toy library within
Pram-Pushing distance of any family in the city.History:
Connors Toy Libraries was founded
in 1973 for children with special needs and their families, but very quickly was
opened to all children up to school age.
Over the years, the
number of community groups have grown so that there is a toy library within
Pram-Pushing distance of any family in the city.
In 1983 we started a
Mobile Toy Library that has visited a variety of groups, including Family
Centres, School Assessment Classes, Portage Groups, Baby Clinics etc. on a
monthly basis.
In 1996 we, with the help of an
SRB grant, were able to extend the toy stock
for
children with special needs, and now have a comprehensive resource available
to all children with special needs, their parents or carers, and any
professionals working with them.
In 1999 we joined the Sure Start Somerstown partnership (wave2) and continued to work with parents within the project
In 2001 we received funding from the European Social fund to set up the Child Carers' Toy Store for all those working in child care.
During 2002 we developed closer working links with the Library service and
piloted a scheme for provision of "Toys in Libraries". In October that year we
received funding from the lottery Community Fund to start a Leisure Library for
Carers. This provides leisure activities for carers of all ages.
In 2003 we negotiated inclusion within the Surestart ABC project (wave 6) and plan to roll out the "Toys in Libraries" scheme further.
In 2004 we started upgrading our IT Programme to speed up borrowing in the Toy Store, working towards online ordering for the future.
In 2005 Although our annual picnic was suddenly cancelled in July and took place in the September everybody seemed to have a very good time, the children enjoyed face painting and being entertained by Matty the Jester.
2006 Working hard to get the toy store catalogue online with never ending bar coding to provide supermarket style shopping, we have had a large influx of new toys many aimed at out of school clubs.
2007 Toy store web catalogue launched, early years have provided free membership to out of school clubs and the NCMA provided free membership to child minders who attended their conference.