Christmas Charity Gifts (and ways to do good) 8 December 2009 at 9:17PM edited 22 December 2022 at 6:24PM in Shop but don't drop 80 replies 45.3K views

TheBassMan

I would like to nominate two charities close to my heart because they help people like me who live with Hydrocephalus. Between them they cover the UK and help thousands of people and their families.

SHINE which stands for Spina Bifida Information Networking and Equality I can't post a link so you can search for shinechairity,org,uk

Scottish Spina Bifida Association which is the Scottish equivalent of SHINE and can be found at ssba,org,uk

Thank you.

Helou

I'd like to recommend The Brooke charity to the list of those worth purchasing Christmas gifts from. They work to help donkeys, mules and horses working in terrible conditions in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Gifts include first aid kits, water troughs and veterinary care.
All money goes directly towards the work they do in those countries.
There is a main website for the Brooke and also their shop website this forum won't let me post the link here, but you can Google The Brooke to find their website.
Wishing you all a peaceful and happy Christmas.

DUKE

I came across this shop last week whilst shopping with my charity shop mad aunt http://www.beacon4blind.co.uk/services-and-resources/charity-shops/locations-and-times/ I bought one of these - HIS LORDSHIP - Commemorative Fine China Mug, Coaster & Tray (Boxed) for a fiver, they sell for £7 on Amazon.

Sarita

Another brilliant idea is CBM, the overseas medical charity, who have a whole range of gifts - their whole website is dedicated to gifts in lots of different categories: you can buy a child an artificial leg, or some powerful reading glasses; fund a club foot repair, buy some Vitamin A, buy micro-credit for someone with a disability, or a toy for a kid with special needs; you can set up an egg business, buy a pair of pigs, offer micro-finance, train a goat farmer, buy sign language lessons for one person, a hearing aid, or a pack of seeds. A whole range of gifts and prices, more comprehensive than I've seen anywhere else. (I'm not connected to them but would be proud to be!)
:A
http://givejoy.cbmuk.org.uk/

juno

Too late for this Christmas, but with Little Hen Rescue you can sponsor an ex-battery chicken. They also have other animals - such as turkeys or sheep - you can sponsor too!

For £15 a hen a year or £20 for a different resident the lucky sponsor would receive;

• A Certificate of Sponsorship
• Their rescue story with their photos
• Newsletter with update photos
• Fridge magnetic
• Little Hen Rescue charm

HelenU5755

Hi guys, just wanted to see whether you would consider promoting Born Free Adoptions instead of WWFs? It is a little known fact that their adoptions are actually far more genuine - they really do support the individual animal until the day it passes on. Here's the lowdown:

- Born Free actually use the money you give to look after the EXACT animal you choose to adopt, whereas WWF do not commit to doing this, so your money could go elsewhere to support another area of work where it is more needed.

- Born Free updates you on how your adopted animal is doing with regular mailings or emails, and if the day comes that it passes away or goes off into the wild, they actually tell you!

- Born Free adoptions are cheaper than WWF! They are in fact the cheapest adoptions on the market at £2.50 a month!! But they still give you all the exciting bits that the kids love including a cuddly toy and educational materials.

-Being a MUCH smaller charity, they have far lesser overheads, so a greater percentage of all donations actually goes directly to the cause.

You can find their adoptions on the Born Free webpage.

Thanks so much for reading! Please do support them if you can - a very worthy cause in my opinion.

RChildhoods

Could I suggest buying the NSPCC Carolina Bucci twister bracelet as an alternative Christmas gift?

Not only are you buying a beautiful limited edition bracelet by the famous Carolina Bucci, you are also donating £95 to the NSPCC which will fund their pioneering ChildLine Schools Service in one primary school. The ChildLine Schools Service helps to empower a generation of children by putting trained volunteers into every primary school in the UK to help children understand abuse and how to stay safe.

The bracelet can be purchased online at Net-A-Porter, Carolina Bucci's store and Harrods.

Saving4Jesus

I would suggest Hand in Hand. They are unusual in that they actually buy the gift that you want them to, rather than the money just going into a big pot.

hihand.org/gift-catalogue.html

judexx

Could you add Practical Action to the list.

They are a long established charity working in the third world and specialise in finding practical long term solutions for the problems people face there.

In their gift catalogue, as well as the usual Fluffy Ducks (£14), where else could you get someone an Eco Loo (£40) !!

Valpri

I suggest The Leprosy Mision England and Wales's Gifts for Life.

Leprosy is a disease of poverty. Some of the world's poorest people have leprosy and a Gift for Life really will make a difference in the life of a person affected by leprosy. The money goes directly to the proects where it is needed most and so will benefit he most disadvantaged people.

Imagine receiving a diagnosis of leprosy and being shunned, rejected and cast aside because of it. That is the reality in the lives of many, many people who find out they have leprosy.