Category

• Promising Local Practice

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Poverty impact

• Reduction

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Poverty driver

• Provide benefit in-kind (material)

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Keywords

• Community Engagement
• Financial
• Stigma
• Clothing
• Lived experience

Aim

Love in a Box Clackmannanshire's mission statement is to ensure that no child or young person in Clackmannanshire goes without any gifts at Christmas time.

Summary

Love in a Box is a charity located in Clackmannanshire that has been operating since 2012. The charity provides Christmas presents for those in the local area who are identified as being in need. The project has a main group of seven volunteers. Work includes shopping for gifts, making up the gift bags, contacting agencies, schools, and social work to identify those who need help. Ensuring that every bag is prepared to a high standard before wrapping and handing over. Work also involves raising awareness to maximise fund raising.

What difference does it make?

The Project has helped to alleviate seasonal induced pressures on families at a time that for some, is financially difficult. This has prevented families taking out pay day loans or increasing debt to provide presents at Christmas. The Project has allowed children to share what their peers experience (through receiving gifts).

Key take-aways

• No need to provide a voucher for teenagers – whilst, in principle, this is a good idea, in practice more can be procured through bulk buying.
• Wrap only the gifts for teenagers, throughcare young people or parents. All others should be left unwrapped so parents can see exactly what the child is receiving.
• Raise awareness with groups and businesses to maximise funding.

 

Organisations

Love in a Box is a community group which receives support from local businesses, the Council, and members of the public. Local Businesses include: Abbie Taylor and LA Cuts Hair Salon, All things Darts, Alloa Post Office staff, Alloa Round Table, Argos, Beatties Sweeties, Calluna Financial, Dental Practice in Grangemouth, Diageo and staff and managers, Gartmorn Pool and Darts team, GP Strategies Modern Apprenticeship, Industrial Heritage Consultancy Ltd, J&W Aitken Butchers, Kerry’s Menstrie staff, Lodge Ladywell Tullibody, Members from Alloa Ludgate Church, Dollar Church and Episcopal Church, Hillfoots Rugby Club, MacDonald and Morson’s Dentist, Muckhart Parish Church, Navigate Scaffolding Limited, Ochilview Housing, Orchard House, O’Malley Financial Services, Pristine Décor, Rocket Delivery Services, SMS Garage, St Serfs Primary School staff, staff across Clackmannanshire Council, Stirling Savers staff, Tesco Staff, Wood’s Coaches and Yorkshire Building Society. Diageo and Alloa Round Table are significant donators to the campaign each year.

Location

Clackmannanshire.

Christmas 2012.

Contact