An easy way for your workplace to donate to brilliant local charities over the festive period

Charities in the A Good Thing community are asking for help this Christmas, and the things they need may already be on your shelves.

For families already stretched by food and heating bills, Christmas brings extra pressure. Small charities feel it too: grants for festive events are harder to find, and demand is higher than ever. Meanwhile, many businesses are sitting on surplus stock, end-of-line gifts, spare decorations or leftover promotional items.

A Good Thing connects the two. Charities post what they need, businesses offer what they have, and good things that might otherwise go to waste end up where they make a difference.

Here are the live Christmas needs right now. Can your business help?

Decorations, raffle prizes, buffet food and Santa costumes (South Yorkshire)

• Christmas decorations for walls, and baubles for a tree
• Adult raffle prizes: toiletries, cosy blankets, boxes of chocolates, selection boxes, tins of biscuits, small jewellery items, gloves, ornaments, perfume or aftershave
• Buffet food and drink: in-date snacks, canned soft drinks, teabags, coffee, long-life milk
• Christmas costumes for volunteers, such as elves and Santa

Who it helps: People who may be isolated or alone at Christmas, at a free Christmas ‘social’ on 12 December. Everyone gets a free raffle ticket, so they all take home a small gift.

The charity: Dolcliffe Community Group, South Yorkshire. They run a low-cost community centre for local groups, and this is their first community event in years.

Help with this need

Christmas trees, decorations, lights, gifts, wrapping and festive treats (South London)

• Christmas trees, baubles, tinsel and decorations
• Working Christmas lights
• Giftwrap, giftbags and tags
• New, unused gifts for children, teenagers and adults
• Unopened festive treats, chocolates and biscuits
• Christmas crackers and festive tableware
• Surplus stock and clean, complete, gently-used decorations are welcome. Early donations really help, as the team needs time to sort and distribute!

Who it helps: Families facing hardship, who receive everything free of charge so they can enjoy Christmas without stretching tight budgets.

The charity: Community Care Collective, south London. A volunteer-led group that redistributes food and offers practical help, bringing volunteers, businesses and neighbours together to reduce waste.

Help with this need

Children’s gifts, pyjamas, quilts and food parcel items (West Yorkshire)

• Christmas gifts for children
• Pyjamas
• Quilts
• tems for food parcels

Who it helps: Over 1,000 local disabled children and their siblings this Christmas, plus food parcels for up to 80 families in urgent need. Last year the charity gave out over 900 gifts and parcels.

The charity: Kidz Aware, West Yorkshire. A small charity helping disabled children, adults and their families, with debt and benefits advice, and family support.

Help with this need

Small gifts for goody bags (Suffolk)

• Pens, pedometers and small games
• Tea, coffee and sweets
• Socks and gloves
• Anything else suitable for a goody bag or raffle

Who it helps: 75 to 80 older residents at a free Christmas lunch, each of whom takes home a goody bag.

The charity: Chamberlin Hall, Suffolk. A community hall supporting many residents who are isolated or on a low income.

Help with this need

Brand-new toys, gift sets, pamper sets and toiletries (South Yorkshire)

• Children’s toys and games
• Gift sets and pamper sets
• Toiletries, beauty and self-care products
• Seasonal gifts and festive items

Items must be brand-new and unused. A single item or a whole box is equally welcome.

Who it helps: Older people in Barnsley. The prizes power Christmas raffles and tombolas that fund the charity’s brilliant work.

The charity: Age UK Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Support, services and activities for people aged 50 and over.

Help with this need

Promotional stock and small treats (West London)

• Notebooks, pens, tote bags and reusable cups or bottles
• Sealed toiletries, hand creams and lip balms
• Chocolates, sweets, tea and coffee
• Candles, plus any other surplus or promotional stock
• Items don’t need to match, and even small quantities help!

Who it helps: Around 100 staff and volunteers who support people in recovery from drug and alcohol use all year round.

The charity: Change, Grow, Live (RISE Ealing), west London. Ealing’s community drug and alcohol treatment and recovery service, run with NHS and specialist partners.

Help with this need

Christmas jumpers and festive outfits (Dorset)

• Christmas jumpers
• Festive outfits

Who it helps: Local people facing poverty and disadvantage, through a Christmas Jumper Swap Rail, where they can exchange or upgrade their festivewear.

The charity: Lyme Regis Development Trust, Dorset. The Trust runs The Hub, a community space offering relief from poverty and disadvantage.

Help with this need

So, feeling inspired? What do you have?

If you have any of these on hand, at least one charity is looking for it!

If you have…	It could go to
Christmas decorations, trees or lights	Dolcliffe Community Group, Community Care Collective
New toys, games or children’s gifts	Kidz Aware, Community Care Collective, Age UK Barnsley
Toiletries, pamper sets or beauty products	Age UK Barnsley, Dolcliffe Community Group, Change Grow Live
Chocolates, sweets, biscuits, tea or coffee	Community Care Collective, Dolcliffe Community Group, Chamberlin Hall, Change Grow Live
Branded or promotional stock (pens, notebooks, tote bags, cups)	Change Grow Live, Chamberlin Hall
Clothing: pyjamas, socks, gloves, Christmas jumpers, costumes	Kidz Aware, Chamberlin Hall, Lyme Regis Development Trust, Dolcliffe Community Group
Blankets and quilts	Kidz Aware, Dolcliffe Community Group
Gift wrap, crackers and tableware	Community Care Collective
Food and drink for parcels or a buffet	Kidz Aware, Dolcliffe Community Group

Ready to help?

Sign up with A Good Thing. It’ll take you 30 seconds, and will let you respond to these needs directly and offer your surplus to charities near you.

1. Register your business at www.agoodthing.org.uk/signup.
2. Open any of the needs above, and respond with what you can give.
3. The charity will get in touch to arrange collection or drop-off.

The sooner, the better!

Time matters at Christmas. Charities need donations early so they can sort, wrap and deliver them before the big day, so please don’t wait until December to respond.

Whether it’s one box of chocolates or a pallet of end-of-line stock, your spare items could really make someone’s Christmas.