Hero's and Heroine's needed for World Book Day – don't dump your costume, swap it!

Are you feeling organised for the fast approaching World Book Day, or are you panicking about what your children need transforming into for school? Rest assured, because Plastic Free Hitchin return with another seasonal costume swap, catering for all ages and costume types!

Plastic Free Hitchin will run a World Book Day Costume Swap at Hitchin Library on Saturday, February 25, to help families reduce their waste, save money and cut their environmental impact locally.

Families are invited to swap their unwanted and outgrown costume for a new one. Alternatively, if you have no costumes to swap, pick up a pre-loved costume for a small donation.

In addition to the costume swap, there will be eco crafts accessible to everyone visiting. Hitchin Library, who continue to collaborate with Plastic Free Hitchin, were one of the first community groups to sign up to the Plastic Free Hitchin pledge and eliminate three single-use plastics from their space.

Reducing single-use plastics is the focus and drive for this initiative who got Hitchin officially accredited in July 2022 as a Plastic Free Community.

Reuse and swap

A survey from 2019 found that over half of parents asked said their child is expected to dress up for World Book Day, and a huge 60% of those would be buying costumes brand new.

With 4,850,000 primary and pre-school children across the UK, approximately 60% would be spending £10-£30 each, totaling a staggering £45 million.

That's also a huge amount of costumes gathering dust in your cupboards or wasting on landfill.

Please don't dump your costumes, release them back into society like a well-read book. Reuse them and swap them!

If you wish to make sure you're outgrown costumes find a new home, please either bring them to the event or drop off at one of these donation points:

Yellow Book Box, Ickleford Road, Hitchin

Strathmore Infant and Nursery School, Old Hale Way, Hitchin Millenium First Steps Nursery, Station Approach, Hitchin

Hitchin BID office, Churchyard, Hitchin

Cafe at the Museum (British Schools Museum), Queens Street, Hitchin