DONATE

DONATIONS OF MONEY

We are very grateful to accept donations of money at any time of year, but particularly in the run up to Christmas when the expenses of running Christmas Care start to mount.

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How to donate money

As a small charity, we have always been immensely grateful for the generous donations from both individuals and local businesses.  

• We can only accept donations in kind during the run up to the Christmas period.  

• However we are very grateful for donations of money at any time of the year.  

DONATIONS IN KIND

When and where can you donate?

We have two donation days in the run up to Christmas, both of which will be at Buckhurst Park Community Centre (see map).  The dates of the 2019 donation days are:

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• Saturday 14th December, 10am - 2pm; and

• Saturday 21st December, 10am - 2pm.

The Community Centre has a busy schedule of other events in the period leading up to Christmas so please ONLY bring your donations on the days & times shown above.

What can you donate?  

If you would like to make a donation for the coming Christmas, please read the notes below.

• Adult clothing ONLY – warm, clean and in good condition:

  • Many of our guests really appreciate warm, informal clothing - eg, good quality jogging bottoms & fleece tops

  • Coats & jackets

  • Trousers & jeans

  • Warm tops, shirts & jumpers

  • Underwear & socks, including thermal items (which all need to be new & unused)

  • Shoes & boots

• Sleeping bags – this year we already have an ample supply, so we do NOT need any sleeping bags.  We also do NOT need any standard bedding.

• Toiletries & towels - shower gel, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, shaving items, shampoo and towels in good condition.  The small samples of these (often provided in hotels) are particularly useful, but they must be unused.

• Cleaning materials – for the kitchen, dining tables & WCs eg, washing up liquid, bleach, surface cleaners & tea towels.

• Food (which must all have “Use by” dates which are after Christmas):

  • Tinned food – meat & fish, beans, tomatoes & other vegetables, rice pudding, etc

  • Dried food – rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, biscuits, tea, coffee, sugar, drinking chocolate, etc

  • Long shelf-life packets – mince pies, Christmas puddings, jams & marmalade, cook-in & table sauces, sandwich fillers, custard

  • Soft drinks & long-life fruit juices.

• Perishable & frozen food – we can only accept these very close to Christmas:

  • Breakfast ingredients – bacon, sausages, eggs

  • Cheese and margarine/spreadable butter

  • Fresh vegetables

• Books & board games

Most years we have surpluses remaining after Christmas Care has closed, which we distribute to fellow local charities operating in the same field.  We also inevitably have some items that we are not able to use at all - many of these go to Prospect Hospice.