Derry: Halloween goers urged to recycle costumes at 'swap shop'
The Guildhall swap shop is in a bid to cut down on waste and help families financially
Last updated 12th Oct 2023
Derry City and Strabane District council is urging people to give their Halloween costumes a new lease of life at the Swap Shop happening in Londonderry this weekend.
On Saturday October 14th at the Guildhall people will be able to rummage around a treasure trove of items available for free as part of the Halloween Costume Swap Shop.
Council is appealing to anyone with unwanted Halloween costumes and props sitting in the wardrobe or attic to consider giving them a new lease of life by donating to the Swap Shop at several locations across Derry and Strabane before Friday October 13th.
The appeal comes just weeks before Derry’s famous Halloween festival – the biggest in Europe.
Thousands of people will take to the streets dressed as ghouls, goblins, witches, and all sorts of creatures to mark the occasion.
The Swap Shop also takes place just ahead of Recycling Week which runs from October 16th – 22nd, reinforcing the message that we should be reusing and recycling materials to the wider benefit of the environment.
Items can be left into the reception at Council’s offices on Strand Road in Derry, the Guildhall, the 4Rs Recycling Centre, Waterside Shared Village, as well as the Alley Theatre and the Council Offices in Derry Road Strabane.
The theme for this year’s Recycling Week is The Big Recycling Hunt, focusing on items in the home that are overlooked for recycling. Council Waste and Recycling Officer Julie Hannaway said Halloween costumes were the perfect item for reuse.
She said: “We are all guilty of buying costumes one year which are discarded the next, and I’m sure most of us have unwanted Halloween items in the attic or cupboard.
“This year we’re asking that people join in our Halloween ‘Big Recycling Haunt’ and dig out some of those witches’ hats and broomsticks, and gift them to a new home through the Swap Shop. It’s a great way of picking up a new costume at little or no cost, and for one night of the year it makes perfect sense not to splurge son something brand new.”
Festival and Events manager with Council, Jacqueline Whoriskey, said: “Every Halloween we see amazing sights on the streets and the creativity of the people of Derry when it comes to costumes really is without parallel. There is as much colour amongst the crowds as there is in our carnival parade. But each year I think we see fewer of the home-made creations that used to be the standout highlight of the festival.
“This year, we would love to see a return to that Derry costume making tradition. And with the many benefits of reusing and recycling clothes and other unwanted items, it’s the perfect way to do something positive for the environment this Halloween.”
The Swap Shop will take place in the Guildhall on Saturday October 14th, and everyone is welcome to come along to see what spooky ensemble they can unearth.
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