TNP toy library installed at Sandy Bay

Woodwork student, Merrick Kent, together with The Nautilus Project installed a toy library on Sandy Bay beach on Tuesday morning.

The toy library is part of TNP’s week long events to mark Earth Day 2024, which was on Monday April 21. On that day a children’s book, ‘Oceanic Sunfish Rescue’ penned by TNP founder Melanie Soiza-Stagnetto went out on sale.

Mr Kent got in contact with TNP wanting to create a project with them and TNP had just the thing.

“A beach toy library had been on our wish list for a number of years,” said a representative from TNP.

“Using upcycled and repurposed materials, Merrick crafted our very first beach toy library.”

“Today, thanks to JP Haulage Ltd, it has been placed at Sandy Bay and filled up with all the strewn beach toys we have found during The Great Gibraltar Beach Cleans.”

Mr Kent said the project was an absolute joy to work on, with everyone he contacted for help being superb at their job.

He added that TNP “couldn’t be more helpful and I’m glad we could work together to make something which will make Gibraltar a better place, for our future.”

“Today it’s just sparked (again) how much I enjoyed working on that project.”

TNP hopes this pilot scheme works by minimising the purchasing of plastic toys. And they encourage the community of beachgoers to add any preloved beach toys their children might have already grown out of, swap beach toys or simply borrow them whilst enjoying the Rock’s coastline.