It started with a good idea. Miriam Delissen, volunteer and founder of Dondersgoed Spul: “From personal experience, I know that trading is easier than receiving. When you’re struggling, receiving something can be very hard. With trading, the bar isn’t set as high.” That experience and feeling were the beginning of Dondersgoed Spul. Since April 2018, Dondersgoed Spul has been open every Wednesday afternoon in Room 3 at the Donderie. Here, you can trade, donate, borrow, or have items repaired. And for those who want, coffee is always ready.
Miriam: “We don’t make a profit, we’re non-profit. The rules are simple. Do you have items to spare? Bring them to us, and we’ll pass them on. Or you can trade something. For example, you bring glasses. With us, those are worth 10 cents each. If you bring 10 glasses, you can pick something else worth one euro. The most expensive item here costs 5 euros. Sometimes we help people a little more. For example, a mother and father who had nothing to trade but were looking for a birthday gift for their daughter. We let them pick three things. After a while, they came back to trade them. I often say, you have to sow before you can reap.”
At Dondersgoed Spul, you can also have household appliances repaired. You only pay for the necessary parts. You may also make a voluntary donation based on what the repair is worth to you. There’s also a toy library where toys can be borrowed or exchanged. Since its launch, Dondersgoed Spul has grown rapidly. The initiative is now being adopted in other locations. Miriam is quite proud of that. “I’m going for 25 years,” says Miriam.
New Location
After the summer holidays, Dondersgoed Spul will open its doors at a new location. You are then welcome at the Bruishuis at Jupiterstraat 14.
Dondersgoed Spul can be found on Facebook and contacted via 0614120514 and dondersgoedspul@gmail.com
