A free new community resource has launched in Macclesfield.

The Bethel Family Library is up and running at Bethel Baptist Church on Calamine Street.

People can donate, share and take items for babies, children and teenagers, including toys, clothing, books, pram, cots and more.

It is hoped this initiative will not only support local families but also help to reduce waste by putting items to good use, rather than being thrown away.

Sarah Newsham, community project lead and coordinator at Bethel Family Library, said: "We wanted to create something that would genuinely benefit local families, particularly with the rising cost of living, but also from wanting to tackle the amount of perfectly usable children's items that end up going to waste.

"As a parent myself, I know just how quickly children grow out of clothes, toys and equipment, often when they're still in fantastic condition.

"So many of these items end up in landfill when they could easily be passed on and used by another family. We wanted to encourage people to reuse, recycle and donate rather than throw things away.

"Our vision was to create somewhere that benefits both families and the environment. A place where people can donate what they no longer need and take what they do, giving items a new lease of life while helping others in the community."

Sarah continued, explaining that part of the aim of Bethel Family Library is to remove the stigma that can sometimes come with accessing support.

"Please don't feel embarrassed or uncomfortable about coming to see us," she said.

"Bethel Family Library is for absolutely everyone, whether that's to save money, reduce waste or simply make better use of the resources we already have.

"There's no referral process, no eligibility criteria and no need to explain your financial circumstances. People can simply walk through our doors, have a look around and take whatever they need."

The Bethel Family Library officially opened its doors on Monday, October 5.

While run by many of the same volunteers, it is an independent initiative from the original Macclesfield Baby Library, which relocated to the Old Millstone earlier this year.

Sarah said: "Our first week has been absolutely lovely, and we're really pleased with how everything has gone so far!

"People have commented on how welcoming and spacious the hall feels, how well everything is organised, and how easy it is to find what they're looking for.

"We wanted to create somewhere that felt comfortable and enjoyable to visit, rather than somewhere people might feel embarrassed or uncomfortable asking for help.

"We're still very much in the early days, but seeing people coming through the doors, making use of the items and appreciating what we're trying to achieve has made all the hard work worthwhile.

"We're excited to see how the library develops and hope to build even more relationships with local professionals and organisations so we can reach as many families as possible."

Alongside the library, Sarah and the team of volunteers also run Bethel Bunnies, a SEN-friendly baby and toddler which runs on Mondays during term time from 1pm until 3pm.

Looking ahead, they are working with the Salvation Army on a Christmas appeal, collecting toys and gifts to create hampers for families who may otherwise struggle during the festive period.

Sarah added: "We're hoping that, as the library grows, we can continue to develop our services and work alongside other local organisations to support even more people."

For more information, including opening times, available items, donation requests and upcoming events, visit the Bethel Family Library Facebook group here.