Refuge John Lewis gift list - donate here

[JackThePumpkinKing]

Re-posting from the Christmas topic, hopefully the thread police won't bite me

www.redonline.co.uk/news/sam-baker-s-daily-letter/john-lewis-refuge-gift-list

"Every year, Refuge try to ensure that every woman and child in their refuges receive a minimum of two to three presents each to unwrap on Christmas day. As Refuge say, 'The Christmas gift initiative is vital to ensure that refuges became places of joy on a day that has the potential to very bleak and hard.'
The charity have a gift list at John Lewis for the appeal so it could not be simpler. You can go as small as a counting block for £2.99, to as big as a pair of roller blades for £40. Whatever you pick, you will know that there?s a child in a refuge somewhere who will have a present to open on Christmas morning ? thanks to you.
Surely, this is the best reason to start your Christmas shopping early this year?
Go to Johnlewisgiftlist.com and enter list number 522953. ( The gift list has to close on 6th December 2012 so that there is time to get the presents to each of the Refuges )

I bought the hair straighteners. No, they may not last five years like my GHDs but when I saw them I thought of an older child. How they look is so important to how they feel about themselves and they may have had to leave with nothing.

Feeling equal to your peers is also important. The girl who already has enough to deal with in her new life, at a new school doesn't need to be teased about her hair on top of everything else.

Refuge will know about these issues better than anyone.

My only issue with things like iPods are will they have the access to computers needed to set it up? Will they have the money needed to download songs?

I don't like the idea of a present which needs extras in this case.

Straighteners and things are much better for teenagers

I would rather donate money than gifts, then those mother can go and get something the child wants

MsChristmasPants2012 link

And half the pleasure is in the choosing why do a bunch of strangers get to the fun bit

It's set up by Refuge - presumably they thought it was a good idea.

Crikey, Mosman change your name to Grinch, will you!

I think I know what Mosman's problem is and tbh it stinks.

Aw lets not turn this into a snipy thread, just keep bumping it :)

Is that right JF

Why are you so agressive, Mosman?

oi, pack it in you two

Do you get some sort of confirmation of what you have ordered? We get a "charity" gift for a friend so thinking this may be ideal

Why are you answering g a question with a question JF ?

Yes, you'll get an email confirmation listing the name of the gift list and what you have bought.

Well just to answer one point, Mosman, I was given John Lewis £20 hair straighteners about six years ago, was a bit but they are still going strong, so ner.

Refuge have been doing this with JL for years. In fact, I started a thread about it two years ago - I think - and there was a similar response as on this thread. I was accused of being a troll. There were accusations that the whole thing was a set-up and that someone was profiteering (maybe me, the troll?). There were demands that MN make someone from Refuge come on here and explain themselves.

Which all just goes to prove that the Professionally Offended are everywhere.

squeaver really? FGS..

I hope nobody thinks I'm a troll!! (I would lol though, that's never happened here before and I've been here years )

I'm not offended professionally or otherwise, just think they've missed a trick or need to update the list more regularly

I agree Mosman - BUT there were a lot more items on there at the beginning of the week (which is good - it means that lots of the good stuff has been bought!) but what is left is looking a bit cobbled together.

Hi all,

We've moved this to Christmas and stickied it there too.

What a lovely lovely idea.

I remember the snipey posts from last year's Refuge list too.

Even when pointed out that Refuge had complied the list and it was made up of things that had actually been asked for and that getting a non-essential was actually valued, it never totally went away.

Ha, Jack, I was quite weirdly proud of myself.

Humpf. Now I want to be accused of trolling!

thanks for adding the sticky Rebecca

Here's the proper link to the Refuge website, for anybody that might have missed it. The gift list number is 522953

refuge.org.uk/get-involved/refuges-40th-birthday/