To start the night, we had lots of amazing donations ready to sort and wrap for our homeless friends. From men’s and women’s gifts to lots and lots of chocolate! 

We started by sorting all the donations into boxes of different categories: men’s, women’s, chocolate and hats, scarves and gloves. Throughout the night, people brought more and more donations so these boxes were nearly overflowing by the end of the night. 

Small groups of people took a box each and began wrapping all the presents for our homeless friends. 

The boxes of presents by the end of the night were full to the brim and ready to be transferred to the santa sacks and go out to our homeless friends on Christmas eve.

Throughout the evening we were also selling raffle tickets for all these amazing prizes, generously donated. From a GHD hair dryer to 2 vouchers for dermaplaning, there were lots of exciting prizes to be won!

As we had lots of kids helping us at the event, they all helped to make cute handmade Christmas cards for our homeless friends. 

All the kids also helped on the bake sale, to sell all the beautiful cakes, buns and biscuits that some of our wrappers had brought and donated.

The whole night went amazingly! We couldn’t have asked for better support from donators and helpers and we can’t wait to give all these amazing gifts to our homeless friends on christmas eve.

Last year at Christmas time we put together backpacks full of presents for our homeless friends to open on Christmas Eve. They were full of essentials such as toiletries, hand warmers, underwear and lots more, all individually wrapped so they had lots of presents to wake up to. 

Over 100 rucksacks were filled on the night with items such as wipes, socks, toiletries, chocolate bars, scarves, and gloves. Each bag also had a slice of Christmas cake, a book, and a gift such as lip balm, hand warmers, torch or umbrellas – and every single item was wrapped up.

On Christmas Eve, many volunteers turned up to hand out the rucksacks to our homeless friends. Armed with present filled backpacks they hit the streets of Leeds city centre to spread Christmas cheer. It’s a very hard time of year for our friends on the streets and we want to make it a little bit easier for them. It’s important to us that we make this time of year special for our homeless friends, so they can feel less alone and know that someone cares. 

This year we plan on doing a similar thing to ensure our homeless friends have another special Christmas. We are going to be taking Santa sacks full with presents and essentials to gift to our friends on the streets, but we need help! The only way we can continue the amazing work we do for the homeless is through donations and this time is no different. 

To be able to make this festive time of year special we will be relying on amazing and generous donations. While you’re doing your Christmas shopping think of the homeless men, women and dogs and maybe pick up an extra gift set or box of chocolates to donate for the homeless. A small gift like these can make someone’s Christmas feel so much better. Knowing that someone has thought about them at this time of year can make our friends feel as though they are cared about and are not alone.

Please if you are able to donate, donate. Below is a list of just a few things that would be great donations. For those that may be unable to buy gifts, we are also doing sponsor a Santa sack, for £25 each it will consist of a Santa sack with gift-wrapped presents and essentials with a personalised gift tag – for our guys on the streets that have furry companions we are also doing doggie sacks at £12 each and are appealing for dog toys and treats. Please give what you can, and thankyou in advance.