Surplus stuff for charity

[60159]

I'm sure lots of individuals and clubs have, like me, an accumulation of all sort of model railway "stuff" that is not really needed and is probably better to go to "charity" than languish in boxes, in cupboards, on shelves or on such as ebay.

 

Does any one know of schools, organisations etc, particularly for disadvantaged or special needs children, that have a model railway as part of their activities where I (and other RMweb members) could donate good surplus stuff?

 

Mike

[Les Bird]

This is a great idea and I could certainly donate some items if anyone can point me in the right direction.

 

[Dungrange]

The issue is that you're really looking for somewhere local to you.  My own club does accumulate things that we no longer need and in the past we've tried to sell these at what used to be a regular swap-meet in Falkirk, as a way of raising funds for future layouts.  However, we also accept donations from locals who are clearing out their attic and disposing of "stuff" that would otherwise be going to "the tip".  I accepted a 1950s clockwork train set last month from a gentleman who, as it happens, lives less than five minutes from me.  It's of no interest to me personally, or any of our club members, but I'm hopeful we will find a home for it when things return to normal and hopefully get a donation to club funds in the process.  I'll point out that your local model railway club is a registered charity, albeit it may not be what you have in mind (https://smet.org.uk/pmrc). 

 

There was a model railway club in my old school, which was run by my geography teacher, but that was the 1980s.  Such after school activities are very much dependent on whether there is a teacher with an interest in model railways, who wants to share that with a group of children.  I think the same could be said of the Scouts, who I understand have a 'model making' badge, but again, what's done in terms of model making activities will depend very much on the local Scout master.

 

There are however charitable bodies on the lookout for "stuff" from time to time - an example being the Scottish War Blinded charity at Linburn in West Lothian, where one of the ex-servicemen wanted to create a model railway as an Art project back in 2016 - http://www.elmrc.org.uk/linburn.php.  What you are really looking for is something similar near to you and unfortunately, I'm not aware of any particular group that I can highlight.

[RexAshton]

We also do a charity fund raiser for our local hospice. Please click here for info.