I work for a charity part time. My job is to try to find homes for people who are homeless. I recently worked with a woman who had been sleeping in a tent in the woods. I got her a private rented flat, helped her to source furniture for free, set up all her bills etc. This is all part of my job.
The problem is that this woman gave me a gift and we are not allowed to accept even the smallest of gifts as it is policy as with most public sector workers. The thing is that the gift is quite personal and very thoughtful but it's also worth about £50.
She was upset when I said I couldn't take it, she thinks I have changed her life and that she just wants to say thanks.
I want to accept it and feel a bit annoyed that teachers get 30 gifts every term and that I have never even been offered a gift so feel so grateful yet I can't accept it. Should I just take it? Or give it back?