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Original poster

Spare a thought for women and children in DV Shelters at Christmas

21 replies

CaveMum · 19/12/2018 20:19

With Christmas just around the corner, if you can please spare a thought for your local Women’s Aid (or other DV charity) shelter. There will be women and children who have possibly fled abusive situations with nothing but the clothes on their backs, as well as the amazing volunteers and staff that look after and support them.

Maybe think about buying an extra Christmas pudding or box of crackers when you do your food shop this week and drop it off at a shelter.

Alternatively if you don’t have any spare money, any old toys your children no longer play with or any old (but good quality) clothes that you were planning on taking to the charity shop could make someone’s day.

Just make sure you phone the Shelter first (a quick Google will find a shelter local to you) to ask what they are in need of as many do not have the space to store large numbers of items for future use.

Another option is to go on Amazon and search in the Wish List section for “Women’s Aid”. Many shelters across the country will have a registered Wish List with a wide selection of items they need (ranging from toys to saucepans) and that can be delivered to them on your behalf.

OP posts:
Vanillamanilla1 · 19/12/2018 23:01

Thanks for the reminder...I've got so carried away this fell by the wayside this year.....I have often most years, than not , just done random acts ..last Christmas I bought food and just put it outside someone's front door , rang the bell then waited In the car until they take it in....very often confused ...I'll be sure to take things to a shelter.... however the shelters around here don't advertise the fact they are shelters... understandably

OneInAMillionYou · 19/12/2018 23:17

Locally a group of people have run a shoebox appeal for the Women's Refuge.
Each box contains toiletries/cosmetics etc. Very proud to say almost 200 shoe boxes were delivered.

Original poster
CaveMum · 20/12/2018 06:53

That’s a lovely gesture Vanilla and well done to you and everyone that helped OneInAMillion.

I heard that the next town to me has had a Giving Tree run by local Social Workers - a tree in a pharmacy with parcel labels attached to it. Each label has basic details (Lady aged 42; Boy aged 5, etc) on it and people are encouraged to take a label, buy a gift, wrap it and attach the label before returning it to the pharmacy where the SW will collect and deliver to the recipients.

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Original poster
CaveMum · 21/12/2018 16:35

Bumping.

OP posts:
OneInAMillionYou · 21/12/2018 16:52

That Giving Tree sounds a fantastic idea, a good way to personalise the gifts. When I was making up my shoe boxes I always put in one really nice item, make up or perfume say, to go along with the basic soap, deodorant etc that so many of us take for granted.

ChristmasRaven · 21/12/2018 17:09

a quick Google will find a shelter local to you

I would hope this isn't the case! Otherwise how are they safe? I don't believe they are listed online, or shouldn't be. Having said that, yes it is a lovely idea. Amazon didn't seem to have many listed either. If anyone knows of the best way to gift to a local one, might be helpful to share that info.

mumof3dds · 21/12/2018 17:25

a quick Google will find a shelter local to you

I would hope this isn't the case! Otherwise how are they safe?

You can't quick Google womens shelters!

hidinginthenightgarden · 21/12/2018 17:49

I have a bag of toy6s waiting to go somewhere. Not charity shops was thinking more like childrens centre. I would do Womens shelter but don't know how to find it!

hmmwhatatodo · 21/12/2018 18:07

You put a bag of food outside a random house vanilla? How do you know they were in need of it?

ShirazSavedMySanity · 21/12/2018 18:50

Our women’s shelter will not accept donations of children’s clothes etc as they are not allowed to give out the address.

Zevitevitchofcwsmas · 21/12/2018 19:00

Oh. So how does one give then

Original poster
CaveMum · 21/12/2018 23:22

Sorry, I can only speak of my own experience. I googled my nearest large town and “Women’s aid” and got a web page that gave a few telephone numbers. I called them (they just answer the phone with a “hello”) told them I wanted to make a donation and they gave me the address to drop the items at.

OP posts:
ChristmasRaven · 22/12/2018 09:53

@CaveMum

I’d say that’s not really great. Imagine a man is looking for his partner and he does the same. They shouldn’t have done that.

Vanillamanilla1 · 22/12/2018 10:01

@ hmmwhatatodo
I don't ... I just do it

lemony7 · 22/12/2018 10:32

Every year DD and I get some gifts for children and parents, and take them to the food bank. This year though they were only taking children’s gifts so we found the office for the local women’s refuge. They were so grateful.

We always encourage people to do similar: you never know when it’ll be you that needs it.

mogtheexcellent · 22/12/2018 10:42

Project shoebox in my region had c.350 boxes this year. Its hard work but I love doing it. (I'm a collection point).

Xmas Smile
mogtheexcellent · 22/12/2018 10:44

Just to add the PPs donation may have gone to the offices of a regional DV charity which is not secret. I have dropped donations at people's houses before and once in a supermarket car park.

The actual refuge address is confidential.

italiancortado · 22/12/2018 10:54

If someone knocked on my door and I opened it to find a bag of food I would just close the door again. That would absolutely terrify me. There is a person in my past who I would instantly assume had sound me and started to play games. Be very careful, this could really freak some people out. I know it's a well meant gesture, but you never know the situation behind that random door.

Avegemitesandwich · 22/12/2018 11:00

Sorry, I can only speak of my own experience. I googled my nearest large town and “Women’s aid” and got a web page that gave a few telephone numbers. I called them (they just answer the phone with a “hello”) told them I wanted to make a donation and they gave me the address to drop the items at.

Presumably that's not the address of the actual refuge though?!

formerbabe · 22/12/2018 11:06

If someone knocked on my door and I opened it to find a bag of food I would just close the door again. That would absolutely terrify me. There is a person in my past who I would instantly assume had sound me and started to play games. Be very careful, this could really freak some people out. I know it's a well meant gesture, but you never know the situation behind that random door.

Leaving food outside a random persons door is really strange.

I'd be freaked out too. Worried someone had got the wrong house perhaps and/or just totally confused.

I wouldn't want to eat it because I'd have no idea about the intentions behind it. I'd bin it...which would also massively piss me off because I hate food waste and also would fill up my wheelie bin at Christmas.

It would give me one more thing to sort out and worry about...which I don't need in my life.

tazzle22 · 22/12/2018 11:27

I would just like to reassure everyone that if they Google woman's refuge they will only get the local office NOT a safe house.

. I have just donated toys and clothes and was told they are in contact with other area offices to which anything this area does not need are sent to other areas. Anything not used is sold in their charity shops.

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