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This winter, many families are feeling the pressure as they struggle to afford the essentials they need for their family. With energy bills going up, food prices climbing, and wages not always keeping up, it can feel harder to cover all the basics like clothing and toiletries. On top of that, Christmas brings extra pressure, with the added costs of gifts, festive meals, and celebrations.
We are therefore delighted to be working with Truly Giving on Santa Stork this year to provide Christmas presents for children across Surrey and Croydon. Both organisations have a track record of providing Christmas gifts to families across Surrey and beyond for many years and will this year join forces to deliver a special Christmas campaign. Find out how you can get involved below.
At Stripey Stork we are also placing an increased focus on the essential items that families need. A warm place to sleep is something most of us take for granted yet we regularly have waiting lists for moses baskets and cots. We will be taking part in The Big Give this year from 3rd to 10th December – a match funding opportunity where financial donations are doubled. Together we can provide a warm, safe place to sleep for every child who needs one in Surrey and Croydon. There are details of how you can make your financial donation go further below.
This year our focus is on providing greater support to more families throughout the whole winter – and this of course includes some Christmas giving! We are providing gift bundles this year, filled with a range of Christmas gifts. Our volunteers will pack up bundles, choosing gifts from donations we’ve received for the campaign. For families where choosing a specific gift is really important, we are partnering with Truly Giving, who match children needing a present with donors who would like to buy one.
As before, we’re working with referral partners all over Surrey and Croydon to support children aged 0-18 years who would otherwise go without gifts. Children will be referred by a professional who is supporting the family.
This year, children will get a lovely bundle of new Christmas gifts that are appropriate to the age of the child. As well as books, stationery and toys, these may include some winter essentials too, like a soft blanket, toiletries, or warm socks, and we’ll add in some Christmas chocolate for a little extra joy.
This year we are again spreading the distribution of gifts over November and December. Starting early allows plenty of time for gifts to be delivered to the families, but working up until Christmas means we can fulfil last minute, urgent requests.
Our shop is now a year-round platform where you can sponsor gift bundles of all types, including Christmas bundles. A great way to support our work and gift something original to friends and family.
Although it’s really helpful to have gifts bought earlier rather than later so that we know how many families we can help, we always have last minute, urgent requests to fulfil so we’re busy right up until Christmas. The shop has other gift options available year-round, too.
Yes! We’re utilising this option this year to make it really easy for you to see the items we most need to provide gifts to families. Buying from that list means it will be delivered directly to us. We’ll be updating the list regularly as requests come in, so please do check and share it regularly.
For Santa Stork, all gifts are new. We welcome donations of preloved items for our general stock – please see here for items we can and can’t accept, and our current wishlist.
We’re always so grateful when companies want to get involved – what a great alternative to Secret Santa! We can provide a list and a poster for you to share with colleagues to run your own collection of our most-needed Christmas items, or we can help you to create your own fundraising page for the campaign. Please email partnerships@stripeystork.org.uk for more information or to discuss other ways in which you can collectively support Santa Stork.
Thank you for asking for help. At Stripey Stork we take referrals from the health professionals who support local families – health visitors, schools, social workers and Family Centres. If you require extra help this Christmas, please speak to your support worker or health professional who will be able to make a referral on your behalf. They will need to email santa@stripeystork.org.uk for instructions on how to do this. This referral process ensures that gifts are given to those who really need them.
You can also take a look at our Cost of Living area on our website, which is a directory of different types of help for families who are struggling.
We are grateful to the following organisations for their support with part-funding Santa Stork 2023…
51a Albert Road North
Reigate
Surrey
RH2 9EL
Registered as a charity in England and Wales 1161613
Our focus is the Surrey region and bordering areas. If you are in a different region, see map of UK baby banks to find one near you.
