200 anti-stress goldfish toys saved from landfill

A long way to go

After sitting unsold in a Hong Kong warehouse for some time, a school of anti-stress goldfish travelled all the way to Buckinghamshire in search of a fitting home. Aimie Banks, Office Manager at trade-only supplier Stress Planet, was elated to receive them!

Aimie ‘really wanted people to find joy’ in the adorable squishy toys. However, sadly, the fish received little business interest in the UK. What was to become of these charming toys?

On account of her determination to ensure that the fish brought happiness to people’s lives and did not go to waste, Aimie went straight to A Good Thing. Using the A Good Thing web application, Aimie uploaded some pictures of the fish, added a brief description of them, and subsequently published a listing. Aimie described the process as ‘really easy’.

It was not long until Stress Planet received three requests for the fish from different charities. Aimie was thrilled!

‘Straightforward’

Cocoon Kids, which supports disadvantaged children and their families in southwest London and surrounding areas, was one of the recipient charities. Among other services, Cocoon Kids funds and provides children’s counselling and therapy sessions that would normally come at a cost to families.

Helene Griffin, founder and First Director at Cocoon Kids, was glad to have received some of the anti-stress goldfish, suggesting that they were perfect for the children supported by her organisation. Specifically, Helene noted that the fish provided a useful outlet for the children’s feelings of stress and anxiety during their counselling and therapy sessions.

Another positive aspect was that the fish could fit into the children’s coat pockets and school bags, allowing the children to take the fish home with them. This was an important feature as this meant that the children could disperse some of their feelings of anxiety concerning the experiences addressed during their counselling sessions whenever they needed to.

In addition to the usefulness of the goldfish, Helene was particularly satisfied with how easy it was to submit a request for the fish via the A Good Thing web application, and how quickly Stress Planet was able to deliver them. Overall, it was a ‘straightforward’ process.

Quality products

Equally contented to have received some of these fabulous fish was Lisa Kelly, Operations Manager at the Youth Enquiry Service (YES) Wycombe. YES is a charitable organisation that provides confidential support, advice and counselling to young people in High Wycombe.

Lisa explained that one of the most prominent issues facing the young people visiting YES was stress and anxiety. Hence, she was elated to have been able to acquire the anti-stress goldfish, which were immediately well received:

‘The young people just smiled when they were handed over (...) they cheered up the counsellors too!’

Of particular significance was the quality of the fish that YES received. Lisa noted that it was fantastic to be able to provide the young people with a brand-new, quality product that was both functional and fun. Indeed, such products can be difficult to come by due to budgetary constraints.

Pleased to have caught the anti-stress fish at an optimal time for YES, Lisa advised that she would continue to keep a close eye on the A Good Thing website for anything else that YES could put to good use.

Breaking the ice

Meanwhile, at Youth Concern, CEO Hannah Asquith had different plans for the share of the squishy toys that she had received. Youth Concern is a charity that supports 13- to 25-year-olds in the Aylesbury Vale area through the provision of counselling, specialist advice and a safe space to socialise.

Recently receiving an award from the Mayor of Aylesbury entitling Youth Concern to a free stall at all nine community events scheduled for the year, Hannah explained that the fish acted as a great talking point for young people who were initially apprehensive about approaching the stall and speaking to representatives about Youth Concern. The fish made clear that Youth Concern was present at these community events for the sole purpose of offering free advice and supporting local young people.

Like Lisa, Hannah noted that Youth Concern would have found it difficult to allocate budget to purchase these products if they had not been donated. Therefore, she felt ‘lucky to have A Good Thing’ and the lovely local businesses, like Stress Planet, that use it.

Now, as Hannah explained, Youth Concern is looking for board games and other activities that the growing number of young people visiting the drop-in-centre could use while they socialise and hang out.

Melting hearts wherever they go

Aimie explained that she was glad to have been able to use A Good Thing to reach several local charities quickly, thus ensuring that the fish went to three deserving new homes where they brought joy and comfort to those who needed them.

We at A Good Thing were similarly uplifted by the presence of these uniquely loveable squishy toys on our list of offers. We eagerly await the next animal-themed listing destined for a good local cause!

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