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Apr
26
10:00 am10:00

2025 Lil Families Festival

Join us for the Lil Families Festival and Second-hand Market

Saturday April 26, 10am - 1pm

Knox Academy, Pencaitland Rd, Haddington.

Help us make Second-hand the first choice for everyone. Meet mums groups, test out family friendly bike options with Cycling UK, try a sling, Baby Sign & Sing and more!

Here’s our FAQs on buying, donating, volunteers, how to buy without the kids seeing…

Why?

Second-hand stuff always has a story, saves the world and your pennies. We adore our second-hand treasure. It means another family wasn’t exploited, or had to go without for us to get ‘new’ stuff. Second-hand means we get to boast about our community’s wealth in sharing. It means we don’t have to be ashamed of how much we waste, it means we apologise when we “have to” buy new. Santa loves it too - see our printable example of Second-hand Santa letters

Coming to buy?

Hooray! Thank you for doing your Lil thing for the planet. Here’s a few tips:

  • Doors will open at 10am.

  • Remember your shopping bags. EVERYTHING WILL BE FREE.

How do we donate items?

Items can be taken to the to Lil Lorry at Knox Academy, Pencaitland Rd, Haddington. It will be there from noon on Tuesday April 22.

If it is unstaffed you can donate directly into the lorry. Please put it as near the back as possible.

What do you want donated?

  • children’s clothes and footwear (no drawstrings that go all the way around necks or tummies)

  • baby stuff. Please email hello@dolilthings.org if you want to gift a buggy or larger items.

  • toys (Please check the CE labels still visible/ attached)

  • bikes

  • Sports kit - especially waterproofs, lots of kids camps are coming up!

  • books

We don’t want (sorry):

  • Anything stained, damaged or unfit for use.

  • electrical items, including things that need to be USB charged

  • large furniture (as a guide, we can only accept items one person can easily carry)

  • car seats, helmets (this is a Trading Standards thing - we can’t guarantee their safety. Freecycle or Facebook you can gift as an individual.)

  • magnets (as above.)

Gah, It’s Saturday, I have the kids in tow!?

AWESOME. We’ve got kids activities lined up for a family friendly day. Come see us if you need to set something aside for a surprise. We’ll have refreshments available too.

I’m a Family Group/ Service / business, Can I have a whole table?

YES! We’d love to see you there, but you need to let us know asap. hello@dolilthings.org

Can I Help?

Oh yes please! Volunteers make things happen at Lil so we are always delighted to have you join the team. We need extra hands both before the event and on the day. Email us at hello@dolilthings.org or give Lou a call/Whatsapp on 07538031226. Thank you 😊

I can’t make it on the Day :(

The Revolving Wardrobe is accessible 24/7; full of free, great clothes for the whole family!

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February 2025 Seabird Swish
Feb
6
7:00 pm19:00

February 2025 Seabird Swish

Who needs something to look forward to now the festive season is a memory? How about getting together with your friends and a glass of fizz in the wonderful venue of the Seabird Centre, transformed into a fashion boutique!

Prepare to declutter your winter wardrobe and prepare for spring. What was the thing you didn’t wear, the thing you wish you had…

 Grab your tickets here before they’re gone: https://www.seabird.org/events/fashion-swish

Event Details

  • Date: 6 February 2025

  • Time: 19:30 - 21:00

  • Venue: The Harbour, North Berwick, EH39 4SS

  • Price: £20.00

Grab your friends, declutter your closet and join Lower Impact Living for a glass of fizz and fashion swish. This event is about fun with friends, c, helping each other find the perfect outfits for the price of your ticket.

We each spend on average around £640 on clothes per year and collectively throw out almost 1 million tonnes of textiles. One third of this has barely been worn! So donate those items someone else to love and grab yourself some bargains ..

Drop off points

  • Donations can be handed in to the Lil Container or the Scottish Seabird Centre office from Monday 20 January until lunchtime Wednesday 5 February.

 

  • Scottish Seabird Centre office (opposite main entrance) Open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm

 Lil Container, at the Mart in East Linton, EH40 3DN, is open anytime. Directions and a key code will be included in your ticket.

There is no requirement to donate, nor a limit on how much to bring. Please make sure any donations are clean, great quality.

To help us make sure we have the right clothes sizes for everyone at the event, please tell us what size and gendered clothes you'd like in the order form.

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Reuse Open Day @ the Lil Wardrobe (like Narnia, but better)
Aug
24
10:00 am10:00

Reuse Open Day @ the Lil Wardrobe (like Narnia, but better)

Pop by to see Lou & Sarah, have a nosey in our new container, grab a new book or new-to-you clothes or toys ready for the weekend - all free.

Come and see how the Reuse project works, how to access it anytime you need something new*, how to donate, volunteer opportunities

There will be the mini beach clean to entertain the wee ones, we’re by the station for the train spotters and close to the Mart cafe & Shop for your coffee & eco shopping :-)

If you can’t make it on the day, come and try it out anytime by filling in a request form here

*new to you ;-)

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Family Summer Swish
Jun
21
to 22 Jun

Family Summer Swish

Get ready for the hols with our Lil Summer Family Swish!

Get new-to-you summer clothes for the whole family, toys, books and more over two days at Haddington Library from 12 noon - 3pm Friday June 20; and 11am-3pm Saturday June 21.

We'll be looking for donations from Friday June 14, so keep a bag aside with your great quality clothes, outgrown beach gear, books, puzzles, toys and crafts to freshen up the summer hols for everyone. Donations can be made to Haddington Library.

Keen to help?

We're always happy to have more volunteers, or more donation points. Please email hello.lilthings@gmail.com or join the volunteer Whatsapp chat https://chat.whatsapp.com/F33TvOn38qCIUUCtTGI3U4

Donation tips: Toys need to have a CE mark. No electricals or furniture please. We really appreciate clean clothes.

With thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund, East Lothian Council & NatureSave Trust

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Lil Silent Disco Litter Pick for Haddstock
May
24
12:30 pm12:30

Lil Silent Disco Litter Pick for Haddstock

Join Lil as we help kick off Haddstock 24 with a Silent Disco Litter Pick!

Get your glad rags on, come in your work/school gear, we don’t mind, just come along, help us clear up for the guests arriving! Make Haddington look her best by clearing up any mess, recording it for Keep Scotland Beautiful citizen science and some chalk street art too.

This is serious fun: clearing up litter gives space for nature to take over - saving birds & sea life from horrid injuries and worse.

Gloves, pickers and bags provided, although you’re always welcome to BYO.

Tune requests considered in advance on our socials @dolilthings

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East Lothian Green Futures Festival
Mar
16
10:00 am10:00

East Lothian Green Futures Festival

Get ready for a day filled with inspiration, education, and action at the East Lothian Green Futures Festival, organised by the new East Lothian Climate Hub!  Free to attend🌟

ℹ️ What to Expect:

·       Engaging lecture series on critical climate topics

·       Interactive workshops to empower and educate

·       Showcase of local projects making a difference

·       Drop-in advice clinics for sustainable living tips

·       Live music, delicious food, and fun for the whole family!

🌱 Let's come together to share the amazing projects taking place across the county, get involved in fun activities for kids & adults, raise awareness, explore solutions, while having a whole lot of fun! 🌱

🎉 Mark your calendars and spread the word. This is an event you won't want to miss! 🎉

For more information and updates, stay tuned to our page or visit www.sccan.scot/elcan

If you are interested in exhibiting, running a workshop or delivering a talk please complete this form https://forms.gle/CTn782WzgwRKmhv87

See you there! 🌎💚 #GreenFutures #ClimateAction #Sustainability #EastLothian #climate hub #familyfun #event #ELGreenFuturesFest24

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February Fashion Swish with The Scottish Seabird Centre
Feb
1
7:00 pm19:00

February Fashion Swish with The Scottish Seabird Centre

Beat the winter blues with a restyle of your wardrobe with the most sustainable fashion available.

Grab your friends, declutter your closet and join is at the Seabird Centre in North Berwick for a glass of fizz and fashion swish. Find the perfect outfit or fab shoes for the price of your ticket. We cannot think of a better way to brighten up the long winter months!

We each spend on average around £640 on clothes per year and collectively throw out almost 1 million tonnes of textiles. One third of this has barely been worn! So bring those items along for someone else to love.

So many wins!

  • Beat the winter blues

  • Beat the cost of living crisis,

  • Have fun, LOTS of fun!

  • Do your Lil thing for the planet,

  • Clear your wardrobe clutter,

  • Get that new-to-you clothes fix without feeding the fast fashion monster

  • Support both the Seabird Centre & Lil’s work for our communities and nature.

    Need a little more motivation or support sorting your wardrobe? Read our fashion articles over on the Lil Blog

Tickets: £15 per person. Visit the Seabird Centre website here to book your tickets

Details of drop off points will be listed closer to the event.

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Community Day, East Lothian Community Hospital Grounds
May
27
10:00 am10:00

Community Day, East Lothian Community Hospital Grounds

A free, fun event for all ages exploring the greenspace around the Community Hospital. Try a Brompton bike and quiz Love To Ride about cycling opportunities - the hospital is next to Sustrans Route 76, the Railway walk. Dig in to our mini beach clean and hunt Minibeasts with the kids, find & share plants at the plant swap stall, make your own smoothie with pedal power, enjoy a picnic with some live music and meet lots of local organisations. It is also a chance to input to the designs for the landscape - what would you like to be able to use the space for?

Come anytime, bring a picnic and stay a while, activities for all ages.

Come and see:

Live music from the Goats Toes and other Haddstock buskers (various times through the day)

Haddington Growing Community - swap and share plants & seeds

Clean all the plastic from the Lil mini beach

Try a Brompton Bike

Beyond Boundaries East Lothian - -providing adventure sports and outdoor activities for people aged 16+ with disabilities and mental health issues living in East Lothian

Our Community Garden

Love to Ride - be inspired to leave the car and home and ride your bike in East Lothian

Home Energy Scotland - try and ebike or find out about grants for home energy improvments

Sustrans Smoothie Bike - concoct and power the liquidiser for your own smoothie. Fruit kindly donated by the Co-op

Join Gifford Community Woodland Forest Schools Teacher from craft or den building

Discover the minibeast trail - can you tick them all off your list

Tell us what you’d like to see the greenspace around the community hospital used for…wildflower meadows, seating areas, bigger carpark, Christmas market? This is a chance to have your say.

Grab a blanket and chill out and enjoy a picnic (byo) for a while.

See you there x

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EL Community Hospital BioBLitz
Apr
29
10:00 am10:00

EL Community Hospital BioBLitz

BIOBLITZ
Drop in for this free event and explore the grounds of the Community Hospital, survey the nature that's there with the East Lothian Countryside Rangers and volunteer specialists.

This is a drop in event, please arrive on the hour to join in (i.e. 10am 11am, 1pm or 2pm) - you can stay longer Please click going if you plan to come along so I can bake enough cake! We need lots of folk so we have a thorough survey of the site before new

A BioBlitz is a race against time to create a snapshot of the variety of life found in a specific location. Wildlife experts and the wider public (that's you!) work together, within a set amount of time, to find and identify as many species of plants, animals and fungi as possible.

SKETCH & WANDER
You can also book on to a Sketch and Wander Workshop with the amazing Lynn from Fantoosh - book here. Join Lynn in a mindful session to explore the grounds and the nature they hold then use creative ways to express what you discover and what you can imagine. 10.30am - 12.30pm

A LIL CONSULTATION
Lil is collecting community views on how the landscape around the hospital might be used - it is a community hospital after all. Pop into the gazebo at any time during the day for a chat, a cuppa and to imagine what you'd like to see, do & feel there.

LIL RUBBISH COLLECTIVE
Join Lil on a litter pick around the hospital grounds, down hospital road and to Station Yard - follow this link for more details: https://fb.me/e/3kFg7nLrt 10am - 12pm (or after if you’re happy picking alone.

IMPORTANT DETAILS
No previous experience required. All ages welcome.
Meet at the Lil Gazebo located in the woodland walk next to the car park.
Please check the weather forecast and wear suitable clothing and footwear
Parking available on site.
Use of toilets is limited to emergencies, so please go before you leave home
There'll be tea & cake available to buy but if you're staying longer over lunch we recommend a packed lunch.

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Seabird Centre Swish
Jan
19
7:30 pm19:30

Seabird Centre Swish

Join Lil at the Scottish Seabird Centre as we take on the challenge to “Buy Nothing New since ‘22”.

Nothing new is up to you - maybe it’s clothes for you, or everything you’d normally buy, including gifts. However you’d like to do it, or even if it’s just doing a Lil more than last year, we’ll be celebrating all our efforts with a Swish at the Seabird Centre on Thursday January 19th from 7.30pm.

Tickets are £15, including a fizz or non-alcoholic drink on entry.

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Lil Swish and Sashiko
Sept
9
6:00 pm18:00

Lil Swish and Sashiko

Come and join us for our Autumn Swish! Delighted to be part of the Climate Fringe Festival and perfectly timed for Second-hand September, it’s time to refresh the wardrobe for the winter months and clear out the items that still haven’t seen the summer light.

Excited to also share this event with a Sashiko beautiful repair workshop from the wonderful Millie Scott Studios. Sashiko repairs start at 6pm; doors open for swish at 7.30pm with the “bell” for first selections at 8pm.

Tickets essential. Some tickets are available via referral partners, so get in touch if the admission prices are putting you off.

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Scottish Coastal Clean Up - Berwick to Edinburgh
Jun
4
to 8 Jun

Scottish Coastal Clean Up - Berwick to Edinburgh

Lil is delighted to again be co-ordinating the Scottish Coastal Clean Up - Edinburgh to Berwick Upon Tweed from June 4 to June 8. Grab some mates, your gloves and help us #dolilthings by picking up litter at a beach or by a waterway near you!

With huge thanks to Taylor Wimpey East Scotland for making Lil’s contribution possible, we’re thrilled to help our communities take part in what’s an even bigger event this year, with Caledonian Horticulture taking on more of the East coast, right up to Aberdeen. Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from joining in from further afield, please just plug in your planned clean on our map .

See more

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Time For Change: A Climate Conversation
Oct
9
2:00 pm14:00

Time For Change: A Climate Conversation

Join us for a climate conversation as we discuss what’s happening in Scotland and what we can do to influence change in the face of a climate crisis.

Lil is delighted to be part of this Edinburgh Napier University event, where keynote speaker Richard Dixon (Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland) will discuss policy and public perceptions of climate change. Lil’s Louise will join a panel of Napier staff and students, talking about the role large institutions such as universities can play in influencing change, as well as what actions individuals can take (that’s us).

There will be a Q&A followed by a reception from approx 3.30pm where guests can continue the discussion and network. FREE tickets but registration essential: here

Door Open from 1.45pm

Please click here for information on how to access Edinburgh Napier’s Craiglockhart Campus by public transport. If you do need to drive you can park in Car Park A.

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