The beginning
MerryGoRound was started after our founder read in her local newspaper, the Islington Gazette, that 47% of children in the borough are living in poverty. The article included a heartbreaking story of a young boy who couldn’t go out to play at the adventure playground because he didn’t have any other clothes to change into if his clothes got dirty.
The UK is the fifth wealthiest country in the world yet thousands of children are going hungry and without the basics that most of us take for granted, like decent housing and clean clothes. It’s got to the point where schools are providing free breakfast clubs and teachers are washing pupils’ uniforms. It’s just not good enough. MerryGoRound was formed to try to do something about it.
30%
Of children in the uk are living in poverty*
70%
of children living in poverty have at least one parent in work*
500K
more children are now living in absolute poverty compared with 2010*
PEOPLE AND the planet
Some of us are fortunate enough to have too much stuff. It’s estimated that the value of unused clothing in our wardrobes is around £30 billion and around £140 million worth of clothing goes into landfill each year.*
So the next time you clear out your child’s wardrobe, we’d be hugely grateful if you could donate any gently worn clothes and shoes your kids no longer need to MerryGoRound. Not only will you be helping a local child, you’ll also be helping the planet!
Our partners
We recognise we will be able to make a greater impact by partnering with organisations who have the expertise to identify families with the greatest needs. So rather than work directly with the public, we require families to be referred to us by a professional who knows their circumstances well - such as a teacher or pastoral care worker, social worker, GP, health visitor, midwife, support worker or food bank. You can read more about our referral process here.
Our Supporters
We have kindly been provided with storage space by Islington Square. We are extremely grateful to them for letting us use the space for free and for assisting us with collecting items. Thank you so much to all the team at Islington Square!
We have received the majority of funding from Islington Council’s Community Chest: funded by Islington Council, in partnership with Cripplegate Foundation
We are also grateful for the awards we have received from the Arnold Clark Community Fund
Meet the Trustees
Julia Maile, founder
Estelle Broyer, treasurer
Diana Ford, secretary
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january 2020
merrygoround was started so that children’s clothes can be passed from one family to another - creating a circle of love within the community
Julia Maile, founder / Read more
Five Years of Families Helping Families: MerryGoRound's Milestone Anniversary
Press release (9 may 2025):
This month, we’re celebrating a very special milestone at MerryGoRound – five years of supporting local families in need. Since we first began in May 2020, we’ve delivered over 1,600 essential clothing bundles for free to children across Islington and beyond. Every one of those bundles represents a moment of practical help and kindness during tough times – made possible by people like you.
MerryGoRound was born in the early days of the pandemic, when our founder, Julia Maile, read in the Islington Gazette about a young boy who couldn’t go outside to play because he had no spare clothes to change into. That moment stayed with her. Along with two other local mums and a group of incredible volunteers, we decided to act – and that’s how MerryGoRound began.
Since then, we’ve been collecting donations of pre-loved children’s clothes, shoes and books from generous families in our community, and redistributing them to other families who need extra support. We work closely with local schools, social workers, midwives and other charities who refer families to us.
One of our long-time referrers, Maternity Support Worker Valerie Martin, said it best: “It always makes me and my team happy when MerryGoRound’s checkered bundles arrive at my office, ready to be delivered. I know that they’ve been selected and packaged with care, and I’ve seen the joy and relief they bring to our families.”
That care is at the heart of what we do. Every bundle is prepared with love – neatly folded clothes, shoes and carefully selected books all packaged in a re-useable bag - because we know that those thoughtful details can make all the difference.
We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far, but the need is growing. As child poverty continues to rise, our work is more important than ever. We’re committed to meeting that need and helping as many families as we can.
To mark our fifth birthday, we’re launching a Crowdfunder campaign to raise vital funds and ensure we can continue supporting local children. If you’re able to donate or share our campaign, we’d be so grateful. And if you’ve ever given us a bag of clothes, volunteered your time, referred families to us or simply cheered us on – thank you. You’ve helped make MerryGoRound what it is today.
Here’s to the next five years – and to continuing to support families, together.
Inspired to help? Here’s how you can get involved:
Donate to our Crowdfunder campaign - now closed - thank you to everyone that donated.
Donate your time as a volunteer (we especially need volunteers with cars/cargo bikes to help us deliver)
