Mum's guide to Hertford: From bumps to teens, your family-friendly guide

WELCOME TO MUM'S GUIDE TO HERTFORD!

From bumps to teens, we have it covered! This is your one-stop site for information about what's on, things to do, activities & clubs, education, health and so much more for children and families in Hertford!

What's On This Week

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
30th November 2018-11-30 2019-01-27 - 27th January
Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage

Hertford Museum- let there be light (FREE)
1st January 2019-01-01 2019-03-09 - 9th March
18 Bull Plain, Hertford

Bring Your Own Baby Comedy
22nd January 2019-01-22 2019-01-22
Hertford Theatre, Hertford

Bring your own Baby Comedy
22nd January 2019-01-22 2019-01-22
Hertford Theatre, Hertford

A Star is Born
23rd January 2019-01-23 2019-01-23
Hertford Theatre, Hertford

More events

Community

NCT Nearly New Sales

The NCT Hertford, Ware and District Branch has been running successful nearly new sales for over 10 years. The aim is to raise funds to help local families by providing support for the first 1000 days after having a child.

The branch sales have become very popular in the local community with sellers and buyers coming from as far as Barnet, Loughton and Woodford. The Head Office for NCT have presented the branch with a Gold award for having a variety of products on offer, high standards of service from their volunteers, excellent value for parents and good funding results for the NCT.

Unlike other similar named sales, the NCT Nearly New Sales are run solely by volunteers and currently have 7 committee members who give their time freely to organise the events. The branch couldn't run the sales without additional helpers who are generally sellers willing to help out, and on average, each sale attracts around 40 willing volunteers to help the day run successfully. All proceeds raised go directly to the charity instead of going towards a commercial venture. Apart from raising funds for the sellers and income for the charity, the NCT hopes that the sales also help the environment by stopping perfectly good items ending up as landfill.

The sales also give local enterprises the chance to advertise and promote their businesses by operating business stalls or the option to include flyers or promotional material in the goody bags which are given to the first 250 people through the tills. The branch is also grateful for the sponsorship being given by an established local business: Ray Lowe Studios of Cheshunt. The funds raised by this much-appreciated sponsorship helps pay for the hire of the local venue for each sales event. The branch currently runs two Nearly New Sales a year which are located at Presdales School in Ware – a location which is easily accessible, spacious and perfect for their needs.

The last sale in September 2018 had 100 sellers and, in less than 2½ hours, had 475 visitors through the door. From that one sale, the branch raised an incredible £2,000 for the charity. The branch offers on average 100 people the chance to sell at each sale resulting in more than 7,500 items being on offer to the public on sale day. Each item offered is thoroughly checked by the volunteers to ensure that it is ‘new’ or ‘nearly new’ and, in the case of toys or children’s accessories, safe. Each item offers huge savings on buying new – in many cases, up to 70% off manufacturers’ retail prices and the popularity of these savings is evident by the increasing number of people attending the sales.

Don’t get the impression that these events are like car boot sales! The sales are organised into categories that are already pre-labelled with the price (and if appropriate, size) so there is no uncomfortable haggling with sellers and which makes the comparison of similar items much easier. Items for sale include anything from highchairs and prams to clothing and shoes up to the age of 10, books and DVDs, maternity items and toys. There are however a few items which cannot be sold for safety reasons. At the tills, all purchases are packed in dedicated NCT shopping bags and can be paid for in one transaction via cash or credit/debit card, much like you would expect at a shop or retail outlet.

After the sale, the sellers return to the venue to collect any unsold items and are able to donate any items they don't wish to take home to the Broxbourne Foodbank – a local community group which the charity is proud to support. The branch has been awarded with a certificate by Broxbourne Foodbank in appreciation of the support and donations given over the last few years, which have gone towards helping many local families in crisis.

Along with holding the sales, the branch also runs a project with the Foodbank to help them produce baby bundles that include new toiletry items and new or nearly new baby items which are distributed to local families in need. The boxes are made for newborn babies and their mothers and we are really proud that we have just hit our 100th baby bundle box milestone.

The next sale will be in 30th March 2019 11am-1pm (10.30am for NCT members) at Presdales School, Hoe Lane, Ware SG12 9NX and if you would like to become a seller, volunteer, find out more about the charity and sales or have any suitable items that you wish to donate, please contact the branch via their Facebook page or by emailing [email protected].

TO INFORM & INSPIRE