Families Swap, Save and Share at the Library

Building Community Connections Through Collaboration

Involve is a Mid Devon-based charity that helps strengthen communities by connecting people, organisations and local opportunities. As a Connector Member of the CAG Devon Network, Involve works closely with the local community and plans to start a Green Group in Cullompton, led by their Community Builder, Carla. Their work with Cullompton Library is a great example of how collaboration can create sustainable and cost-saving initiatives in communities.

A Successful Baby and Children’s Clothes Swap

The programme began with a baby and children’s clothes swap, held during the library’s popular Bounce and Rhyme session. Families were invited to bring along good quality clothes their children had outgrown and swap them for items they could use.

It was wonderful to see the younger visitors getting involved, carefully choosing their favourite outfits and proudly taking them home. As every parent knows, children grow quickly, making clothes swaps a simple and sustainable way to keep wardrobes stocked without the cost of buying new.

Helping Families Get Ready for the New School Year

The library also hosted a school uniform swap throughout the summer holidays, giving families the chance to pick up essential items ahead of the new school year. The swap proved particularly valuable as the cost of school uniforms continues to put pressure on families.

A wide range of items found new homes, including several pieces of secondary school uniform. With a school blazer often costing around £45 new, being able to pick one up for free can make a real difference to families preparing for September. There was also branded school wear from St Andrews Primary School and Kentisbeare Primary School.

More Than 100 Items Given a Second Life

Across both events, more than 100 items were swapped, helping to save money, reduce textile waste and ensure good quality clothing continued to be used and enjoyed.

Nilza from the library said:

“The school uniform swap went really well and was very popular. We could definitely have done with a lot more secondary school uniform, so that is something we could look into for next year.”

Libraries as Hubs for Community Action

The success of these swaps highlights the important role libraries can play as community hubs. As trusted and welcoming spaces, libraries can help community groups reach new audiences, test new ideas and deliver practical projects that benefit local people.

Could Your Group Work with a Local Library?

If your group has not yet explored working with your local library, why not start a conversation? Whether it’s a repair café, seed swap, clothes swap, workshop or community event, libraries can be fantastic partners in helping projects reach more people and have a bigger impact.

Through the Together for Tomorrow project, CAG Devon can help connect groups and share ideas to get collaborations started. For support with this, email partnerships lead Laura via laura.buchanan@resourcefutures.co.uk