Mansfield Woodhouse man turns jigsaw hobby into community swap project

In 2020, Tony Price-Mear from Mansfield Woodhouse started doing jigsaw puzzles to occupy himself during the Coronavirus pandemic.

His hobby continued in 2022 when he retired, and he has since accumulated an extensive collection of jigsaw puzzles over the years.

Initially, he started swapping puzzles with his friends, but he soon realised that many people shared his hobby.

He then opened up his collection, which he named ‘Mr Hook-a-Duck's Community Jigsaw Swap,’ to the community.

The project is open to anyone who wants to swap, borrow, or donate puzzles through his collection.

Tony and his wife, Yvette, who have been together for more than forty years, are known as ‘Mr. and Mrs Hook-a-Duck’ for their community fundraising over the years.

On the project, Tony said: “My wife’s parents had a large collection of jigsaws, so I started with them.

“Then friends started giving me their jigsaws and I bought some from charity shops. It did not take long for my collection to grow.

“At the start, I was just swapping jigsaws with friends but because of the pleasure we got from doing them, I decided to open it up to a wider group of people.”

Tony has exchanged items with various people in the community, such as care home staff, a woman who swaps for her parents living in Lincolnshire, and a young girl who adores unicorns.

Tony added: “I do this because I am in a fortunate position to give something back to the community, and it is another interest for me as I am retired.

“Jigsaws can also be expensive and people cannot always afford them.

“I’ve met some lovely people coming to swap and donate. Some have even returned for more. It is nice to chat about their enjoyment.”

Tony said any surplus jigsaws or duplicates are donated to charity shops across the area.

He also said that he can fetch or deliver jigsaws for those unable to visit his garage.

Anyone who wants to find out more about Tony's scheme – whether to donate or make a swap – can contact him on 07743358941.