I am a mother of three young boys, and like any parent from time to time my family have struggled.
It is difficult to raise a family. There is a constant need for clothes, shoes, coats, baby equipment and so on; I think we all know the pressures that come with parenthood.
I think we can all recognise how difficult life can get when things aren't going so well and I think that's why Togs has captured so many people's imaginations.
An opportunity to help local, vulnerable, children and families both in crisis and also, importantly, who just need a wee hand with the day to day struggles.
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| New baby stuff - and that's just at the start! |
It's kids who need winter coats who may not otherwise get one.
It's babies who will be kept safe by having a stairgate, a highchair, a cot, a steriliser.
It's children sleeping in proper bedding.
It's mums and dads not having to stress about their kids wearing out their shoes and not being able to buy new ones.
It's the pregnant lady who needs the basics for a newborn after finding herself in crisis.
It's children having a set of clothes that fit and keep them warm.
It's just the basic stuff that we want and expect and need for all children.
Coming off on maternity leave with my third boy a year ago, I was determined to use my 'time off' (ha ha! Time off! I was clearly off my face on newborn hormones or something!) to do something worthwhile.
My new baby was at that 'kind of portable' stage where I could feed him, wrap him in a baby sling and try to crack on with something productive, so one day, after following Togs's progress in various media articles and Facebook feeds, I decided to darken their door and try to do some good.
In June last year, Togs had kind of just taken up residence at Elim Pentacostal church, where they are now, and the room was filling up with all manner of amazing donated bits and pieces.
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| Space for a sofa! Luxury! |
I was quite nervous. I was a new mum (again) and hormones were fleeing around. I was nervous that having my baby there would be a problem, that maybe I was going to be more of a hindrance than a help and that I was just going to be a nuisance.
I was worried about making the commitment: my husband had been really ill and we were having a bit of a whirlwind time at home. His illness made 'free time' a bit unpredicatable, and we'd also just moved house. Everything was a a bit crazy.
I think I craved some kind of routine, some kind of feeling that I was helping. My own situation felt uncontrollable and so by taking on something like this, I was trying to get something normal into my life. Somewhere I could help and create order and speak to other people. Gain new perspective.
I needn't have worried.
The day I went down to Togs for the first time, was memorable to say the least.
Togs had certainly grabbed people's imaginations and donations had multiplied!
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| Up to the roof - but I still see floor space! |
"Are you ready for this?" she said, as she led me through the doors into the room at Elim.
"Whoah" I said when I walked in the room.
It really is a spectacular sight. Thousands of donated items are stacked in boxes, crates, bags and to-be-sorted piles.
And my reaction is certainly not unique.
The next few times I went to Togs after that, whenever anyone came in, whether it was someone nipping in to donate, or someone passing on their way to the soup kitchen, the reaction was much the same.
It's an organised chaos, however.
Wherever possible, clothes are sorted, folded and placed into boxes with labels of age and gender.
Everything is carefully filtered - items which are soiled or tatty or unwearable head to a RagBin to be recycled.
Mostly though, items have been thoughtfully passed on. Lots of things are handed in with love, affection and empathy, which is the nicest part about what is done in that room.
Referrals come in from all kinds of sources.
Sometimes it's for kids who have simply outgrown clothes and parents are finding it difficult to replace them.
Other times it's for a family in utter crisis who have absolutely nothing.
So many different stories and circumstances. So many ways to help.
The volunteers pack up boxes for referrals with care, trying to find things which suit the child in question, with attention to detail - does the boy like sport or not? Would he prefer jogging bottoms over jeans? Is he big for his age? Does he have any books? A toothbrush?
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| An example of a referral box |
It's the little things that make a child feel kindness, feel loved.
That make a parent feel less alone.
Every kid gets the same attention to detail and the hope is that the boxes are received with happiness and that the give comfort to those who receive them.
There's no judgement, just the offering of a hand to those who need a wee help up, as we all do at times.
Ashamedly, on my part, I was unable to go back to Togs after the first few times. I started back at work and childcare is expensive. My husband got better enough to go back to work, which meant more child-watching for me and the baby grew up enough to start moving around (which isn't ideal in a room full of boxes!) I had been made very welcome by Tilly and I was able to do even just basic tasks of folding socks with him sleeping on my front.
I still watched as Togs kept growing. Kept an eye on their Facebook page. Looked for a way or an opportunity to help.
When Jordan put up a post asking for help with the Social Media side of things, I jumped at the chance. Here was a way to help from home, answering messages and trying to spread the word about the good that Togs does.
I still don't feel like I am doing enough - I made trip last Friday to Togs to see how things were going and the wall of donations has somehow gotten even bigger. The volunteers who go do an amazing job trying to make order out of chaos, but there is still loads more to be done.
There are currently around 8 referrals on the board waiting to be lovingly packed up and sent to waiting homes, with a further 4 waiting to be finished.
I spent an hour or so trying to finish what was there, but it was a long, time-consuming process to make sure that all the right bits are there, hampered by the lack of floor space and time it takes to sift through donations to find the most appropriate thing.
I have no idea when I might be able to get back, but will try.
In the meantime, I would like to ask others to help if they can.
The regular volunteers do an absolutely gob-smackingly amazing job of keeping everything running, under sometimes a lot of pressure. It's not easy, but they do a great job of organising, sorting and sifting and without them, Togs simply would not be able to run as it does.
It will never be a completely 'organised' space - the way things are, that is simply impossible. It's a bit like the Forth Road Bridge - it's an ongoing and ever-evolving job. But there is a plan and it is being developed.
The lives of the regular volunteers would be vastly improved if they had more manpower to help make some room to get referrals underway.
If you are reading this and have always fancied a bit of volunteering - you can't do better than helping out at Togs. Volunteers are highly appreciated and you shouldn't worry about the level of commitment you can offer.
A few hours, a few weeks, a few months, the impact will be felt all the way through the chain, from Jordan, Tilly and Kate at the helm, right through to the families and children at the other end.
The people of Dundee and surrounding areas have been so very generous with their donations and they are very much still needed.
Right now though, helping hands would be very much appreciated too.
Togs is growing and evolving all the time and has the potential to do so much.
Just this week Tilly managed to set up TOGSPOT, a travelling Togs which aims to bring low-cost clothing to groups and organisations, raising funds for Togs and benefitting the community.
This is an idea which has come to fruition a year after being just an idea.
Now it's in motion.
There's so much more to come from this amazing social enterprise.
Please consider volunteering if you can!
If you can help, please get in touch via Facebook, email (togsfortotsdundee@gmail.com), or simply drop in at Elim Pentacostal Church from Mon-Fri, 9.30-12.30.
