Shop sells cost-price toys for struggling families
GESTURE TO COST CHARITY SHOP HUNDREDS OF POUNDS
A DERBY shop is selling children’s toys at cost price this year to help families struggling at Christmas.
Sand, Sun and Special Needs, in Spondon, is selling a range of gifts including dinosaur model kits and slime sets for no profit.
The charity shop will make a loss of around £500 as a result of the generous act.
However, boss Michael Ryan, whose organisation provides caravan holidays for terminally-ill children and their families, said that the effort and expense was well worth it.
The 41-year-old said: “It’s nothing compared to how many children will wake up with a smile on their faces.
“A lot of people are struggling and a lot of people are not going to be able to get their kids Christmas presents this year.
“It’s all about helping the community – and if this will help then I’m happy to do it.”
Mr Ryan said families have been piling into his Chapel Street shop to buy the cheaper presents after he announced the sale on Facebook last week.
He said many had visited from outside Spondon after hearing about the offer. “They’re not expensive toys but they are presents at a cheap price which a parent could afford, to give their kid something to open at Christmas.
“I know some of the people who have been buying have not been locals to the shop – they are coming from all different areas.”
Presents on offer include dinosaur and unicorn modelling kits, glitter slime kits and military play sets.
A Winnie the Pooh cup and saucer set, which usually costs £6.49, is on sale for £3, while a My Little Ponystyle play set, which normally costs £4.99, is on sale for £2.
Mr Ryan said: “Most shops will double the cost price. If you are buying it for £2.50, you would double that and then put 50p on for VAT. So it would end up at £5 or £6. But we are selling it for £2.50 – no profit whatsoever.
“I’ve spent about £250 on the cost-price gifts. And as soon as they run out I will stock it again with and son Leo browse through the gifts on offer at Sand, Sun and Special Needs another £250 worth.” Mr Ryan said he was selling the cost-price gifts for the first time in 2018 because he thought families were particularly cash-strapped this year.
He said: “I’m having a hard time and I imagine that everyone is struggling.
“It’s a lot to do with Universal Credit. I have certainly noticed it – it’s horrible.
“I think the Government only care about themselves.”
Mr Ryan added that while he was originally worried about other shops losing business as a result of his offer, no shopkeepers had raised any concerns with him.
He said: “No one has said anything to me. But I’m not bothered.
“If I was struggling, I would want someone to help me.”