Using The Contents of an Abandoned Container to Help The Community
Very occasionally our drivers here at Philspace collect containers to return to our yard at Lower Upham that have been abandoned, but on this occasion, we weren’t quite prepared for what we were to discover!
The container was full from front to back and top to bottom with thousands of books, mainly children’s books. Our Team knew that the books could make a difference to so many children so we made it our mission to rehome as many as possible. We contacted many local schools, together with preschools, nurseries, clubs, groups, churches, libraries and charities to offer the books free of charge and we were overwhelmed with the response that we received. People came from far and wide with the smallest of cars up to the biggest of trucks to collect boxes of books! Our drivers even managed to deliver boxes on their rounds to people that couldn’t get to us.
Here are just a few of the amazing feedback responses that we received:
“I just wanted to say thank you for sending the books, we have thoroughly enjoyed searching through the boxes. Also, please can you thank the driver that delivered the books, he was a true gentleman.”
“I just wanted to say a massive thank you for all the books we took from you the other day. A lot of the books went to a children’s phone box book swap and as part of our Sustainable Droxford group, a children’s book exchange was set up one afternoon at the junior school and books were both given and taken as a way of promoting recycling. On that day 300 children’s books were taken, and potentially avoided going into landfill. As I said, I really appreciated being able to come and choose a carload of books to help with these projects. Thanks once again for the opportunity.”
“I just wanted to say a big thank you for the books. 1 box went to our local community centre (where the Health Visitors etc work), a second went to a local National Trust for their book shop and the final 3 boxes went to my grand children’s school library. We have been mentioned in their school newsletter. Thank you for sharing the ability to learn the joy of reading.”
“The outcome of the books means that numerous children will have access to good quality books and so the fun of discovery. My 8 year old granddaughters teacher was able to recycle lots of old books from the classroom library and replace them with the books from yourself which include many Horrible Histories, Jacqueline Wilson, Enid Blyton etc. My grateful thanks for allowing me to come and take so many books.”
As well as books, the container also contained a small number of other items including envelopes, reading glasses and sunglasses, pens, bed frames and even 80 metal coffee table legs! These items were distributed to various people including Specsavers and Southampton Scrapstore. The bed frames and table legs went to a homelessness charity in Winchester who were intending to create new coffee tables by making tops to fix to the legs.
We are incredibly proud of our Team here at Philspace and the wider community for working together and going above and beyond to ensure that the books and other goods were put to good use.
If you have several thousand books to store and need a container, please give us a call on 023 8022 3333!
