The countdown to Christmas is on. Our Christmas campaigns are built and we are ready for the holiday rush. Many businesses will be planning their Christmas parties, be it group building activities or a team disco! Here at Blue Thirst, we have also booked their Christmas party.
This year, we are spending the day at Christmas Complete, part of the SCRATCH group, in Southampton. Volunteering to help build Christmas packages of toys and gifts for families that may struggle to provide presents for their children.
SCRATCH, which stands for Southampton City and Region Action to Combat Hardship, is a great charity which “provides services which relieve the effects of hardship, disadvantage and poverty”. Each Christmas, SCRATCH delivers hundreds of packages to local families containing presents for children. These children are aged from tiny babies up to 17-year olds who would otherwise go without.
Our Christmas Party Itinerary
On the day of our Christmas party, the team will be going to the Christmas Complete warehouse where we will fill and pack as many parcels as we can (not that we are competitive). These will then get delivered to local families in time for the big day.
Our volunteering will then be rewarded with a filling Christmas dinner at a cosy New Forest pub!
Donations needed!
Last year, SCRATCH delivered 1,855 parcels and are hoping to beat this in 2018. But, like every charity, they need the help and support of donations to provide this amazing service.
This year, Christmas Complete are asking for a range of gifts that will make up the parcels. These are:
• Age relevant toys
• Games & Puzzles
• Books
• Colouring books, colouring pencils, crayons & colouring books
• Art & Craft sets
• Gifts suitable for teenagers
• Sweets
• Christmas wrapping paper and Sellotape
• Sturdy cardboard boxes
• Batteries (all sizes)
• Finance to enable us to purchase gifts when we have shortages for particular age groups
• Finance towards the running costs of the project – premises hire, vehicle hire, fuel and admin costs
What we need from you!
We know that Christmas time can be a bit draining on the bank account, but we want to help Christmas Complete make Christmas special for as many people as possible. So, Blue Thirst are collecting donations of the above items to take with us to SCRATCH to make up the parcels.
We really mean it when we say every single donation will help. A few £’s can make a huge difference.
Can you help?
If you have read through this and would love to collect some donations, thank you so much! You can find out where to drop your donations below.
Donation drop off
If you have any donations you would like to make, you will need to drop these off to us before Tuesday 11th December 2018.
Donations can be dropped off at our HQ:
Blue Thirst ltd
Unit 6 The Byre
Parley Court Farm
Hurn
Christchurch
BH23 6BB
If you are unable to get to us, SCRATCH has a number of shops where drop-offs can be made. You can even donate gifts directly from Amazon with this link.
We look forward to seeing all the great gifts you donate and thank you in advance.