TfL’s Lost Property Office donates unclaimed baby buggies to childrens charity

A children’s charity has benefited from items lost on the trains and buses after Transport for London (TfL) donated unclaimed baby buggies from its Lost Property Office.

Typical – you wait for ages, then three buggies come along at once (c) TfL

Over 30 unclaimed buggies and hundreds of children’s books and toys left on London’s transport network have now been donated to the children’s charity Little Village. This is TfL’s first donation to Little Village and follows the Lost Property Department’s relocation to West Ham last September.

The charity aims to support families with babies and children under five living in poverty across London by collecting, sorting and passing on pre-loved clothes and equipment.

Last year, the charity handed over 1,081 buggies to families in need. They have hubs in Camden, Wandsworth, Brent, Hackney and Hounslow, and since it launched in 2016, Little Village has supported more than 24,000 children under five.

Sophie Livingstone MBE, CEO for Little Village, said: “Children grow out of things fast, whether it’s clothes, shoes or bigger kit like beds or prams and for families who need our support, the cost is often just too much. That’s why these prams from Transport for London are so welcome, as we can gift them to parents who really need them. The last few years have been incredibly challenging for the families we support, so all the donations we receive at our baby banks really do help give children a better start in life.”

Each year, the Lost Property Department recovers thousands of children-related items and, where possible, looks to utilise any lost items not reclaimed by owners and of good condition through charitable donations such as this.

Volkan Altinok, Head of Contact Centre Operations for TfL, said: “Our Lost Property Department handles thousands of lost items each year, and we always encourage our customers to report their missing items via our website. However, in instances where we are unable to reunite an owner with their item, we take great pleasure in opportunities such as these where we can make a donation, and hopefully make a positive contribution to someone who needs it.”

TfL encourages customers to first enquire about any lost property at the original location where the item was lost. Customers must complete an enquiry form on the TfL website if the item is still missing. The Lost Property Office holds items for three months. During this time, attempts are made to reunite customers with their belongings by using information inside the property or by matching items to customer descriptions.

Following the three-month duration, any unclaimed items will have personal data removed and destroyed before being donated to charity, recycled or auctioned. Any revenue generated from unclaimed items contributes towards the cost of running the Lost Property Office.