52 Lives

#223 Secret Santa

Request: Gifts / Donations / Christmas cards and messages

Each year, 52 Lives helps to buy Christmas presents for people who might otherwise not receive anything. Last year, we helped to buy gifts for almost 1000 people staying in refuges, homeless shelters, people suffering domestic abuse, or living in deprivation. 

We do this by partnering with some amazing organisations, schools and charities who work with people in need - this means we can directly reach people who need kindness the most.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

We have set up Amazon wishlists for each of the organisations, and the gifts you buy from these lists will be sent directly to those organisations to give to the people who need them. Wherever possible, for the children's gifts this year I've chosen things that they have specifically asked their parents / carers for.

WHAT DO I DO?

1. Choose an organisation to help from the list below and click 'Buy a Gift.' You will be taken to an Amazon wishlist where you can choose a gift.

2. When you checkout, choose the 'gift registry' address. This will mean your gift is sent straight to the organisation. Please don't choose the 'gift wrap' option, but you can include a gift message if you wish.

3. If you are buying the gift on behalf of someone else, you can download a special note to send to that person to let them know you have bought a gift in their name (click here to view and download the gift note).

4. Kindness comes in all shapes and sizes. If you would rather send a Christmas card or a kind message to someone in need, you can write your message in the form below (your contact details will not be passed along) or cards can be posted to: 52 Lives (Christmas), PO Box 3154, Reading, RG1 9AT. Your cards and messages will be given to the people we're helping along with the gifts. 

5. Feel amazing. When we're kind, it doesn't just help the person we're kind to. It also improves our own physical and mental health. Everyone's a winner :)

(Most of the gifts are priced between £10 and £20 but there are some cheaper options as well. If you would rather give a financial donation, please click here - we will be using 100% of your donations to buy gifts from some high street stores where we can secure good deals).

Buy a Gift

If you are unsure how to buy from an Amazon wishlist, we have produced this handy guide! (Please note: If you can't add an item to your basket, try clicking on the item, and then adding it to your basket)

Berkshire Women's Aid
Berkshire Women’s Aid has refuges across Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell providing emergency accommodation for women in crisis. They are supporting 35 children at the moment, and their mums, so we will be aiming to buy a gift for each of them.  
ALL GIFTS NOW BOUGHT

Emmeline's Pantry
A Manchester food bank helping women and their families in need. They will be providing food for more than 100 families (including 200 children) this Christmas. We would love to give all of them a Christmas present.
BUY A GIFT

Home Start Ceredigion, Wales
The team at Home Start in Ceredigion work with vulnerable families who have children that are living in poverty, are affected by ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) such as living in a household affected by domestic violence, substance misuse or mental illness. In their words, they would love to be able to “give these children a little bit of hope this Christmas.” We want to help them to give all of these children a Christmas present, as well as several of the mums and dads who are in need of kindness.
BUY A GIFT

Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service
This organisation provides outreach and services to families whose lives are affected by domestic abuse. They also provide refuge accommodation for those that have had to flee their homes. For those dealing with domestic abuse on a daily basis whether they have fled or remain in their homes, the impact can be prolific, not only does this impact on their safety and wellbeing but also on their financial and social experiences. The Service is in need of Christmas presents for 50 women and 50 children to help make this Christmas a special one.
BUY A GIFT

Stirling Women's Aid, Scotland
Stirling & District Women’s Aid operates 13 refuges for women and children, and also supports families in need through their outreach services. They feel that gift cards would be the most helpful thing for the families at the moment, so we will be using your donations to buy gift cards for them. 
MAKE A DONATION

St Richards School
This is a school based on the edge of London with a high number of children from deprived families. We will be aiming to provide the school with 80 gifts for children they identify as needing help this Christmas.
ALL GIFTS NOW BOUGHT

The Alice Charity
The Alice Charity supports families in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme socially, emotionally and financially. They believe that family is everything, that help begins at home, and that we can all help vulnerable families...families less fortunate than our own.
BUY A GIFT

The Magpie Project
The Magpie Project provides practical support and advice to mothers and children under five living in temporary accommodation in Newham (in this area alone there are 2000 homeless children under 5). The families this project helps are living in extreme poverty. We need gifts for 110 children and 90 mums.
ALL GIFTS NOW BOUGHT

Offer support

Offer help or send a message

(if you are sending a message of support for the person we’re helping, there is no need to fill in your email address or telephone number)

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