Become a rainbow friend - 2024

Trauma teddies have been around for years now, though many people have never heard of them. They are simple knitted teddies, created to a specific pattern, using oddments of brightly coloured wool that many of us have a huge stash of! The bears are donated to a variety of causes and used to give to children in crisis whether that be refugees or displaced children, those that have been involved in a traumatic event such as fire, accident or flood, and others that are dealing with or recovering from sexual abuse amongst other issues.

The idea is that the teddy is given to any child experiencing the after effects of trauma, providing a little friend for them to talk to without fear, who they can turn to for comfort. Who doesn’t experience a feel-good effect from cuddling a teddy bear? Many different organisations make use of these delightful bears and many others, such as WI craft groups, are happy to knit and send them where they are most needed.

In 1986 a bear was included in a consignment of medicine that was sent to Sudan.  On finding it, the Doctors realised that often, a simple bear could do far more good than any medicinal intervention, because they gave hope and comfort to children who had perhaps lost everything. Refugee camps, orphanages and hospitals in Africa, Asia and south America use them constantly.  More locally, many fire stations and ambulance stations have a small selection that travel in their vehicles, ready to distribute to any child who has experienced seeing their homes and belongings burning in front of them or have been involved in an accident of some kind. The bears provide comfort and reassurance and usually come in a little bag with helpful information and support for parents and carers. Yet more have been sent in emergency consignments to the children in Ukraine suffering from the effects of war.

The bears are knitted to a specific pattern (shown below) and are approximately 23cm after filling. They can be made with any oddments of wool; any colours, though bright ones are preferred and white should be avoided as this is a colour of mourning in many countries, and they should be stuffed with child safe padding.  They should not have hard pieces added like button eyes or noses. Instead, these should be stitched and most importantly each bear should have a happy smiling face for the children to see. The bears have an integral knitted jumper and the only addition is a scarf attached at the back so that it can be tied and untied.

Some charities will use the teddies during counselling sessions with children as it is something tangible for them to hold, hug or even hide behind if necessary. as they detail events that have occurred. Being soft and cuddly, they provide instant comfort for any child who is struggling to deal with issues children should not be experiencing, reducing their shock and distress.

Googling Trauma teddies will come up with a variety of organisations that are happy to accept donations of bears.  These include:

The Teddy Trust

Teddies for Tragedies

Loved Before

Teddies for Loving Care

Teddies for Tragedies

Stars Dorset

Approaching your local fire station, ambulance service, women’s refuge or A&E department is worth a try as some are requesting bears, though not all will accept so best to ask before creating lots of them.  They can also be included in the Shoeboxes for Children Christmas appeals.

A similar appeal for Bobby Buddies can also be found on the internet.  These are police style bears which are kept at police stations and sometimes in police vehicles to be handed to children who may be in custody or who have been the victims of a crime.

As a basic knitter, I feel confident that people can tackle this pattern without major difficulties. It uses up all those annoying half balls of wool left over from various projects, creates something that will be loved for years and can help children deal with trauma, tragedy and distress.

Trauma Teddy Knitting Pattern

You will need: No 10 (3¼mm) needles Double knitting wool in four colours: Colour 1 for the head and paws Colour 2 for the trousers Colour 3 for the jumper Colour 4 for the scarf.

Finishing: Please stuff the teddy with either polyester or other healthy padding. Foam rubber is not recommended as babies/young children might chew it. Do not use buttons or beads or anything hazardous which may become detached and be a hazard to young children.

Instructions: Cast on 10 garter stitches in head/paw colour. Knit 10 rows.

Continue in garter stitch for 30 rows in trouser colour. Leave on spare needle and make another leg in the same way.

Knit across all 20 stitches and work 16 rows.

Change to jumper colour and knit 24 rows.

Change to main colour for head and also change to stocking stitch 5 ½ inches (14cm)

Change to jumper colour and knit 24 rows.

Continue remainder of Teddy in reverse order and cast off.

Stitch down the sides of the head.

With jumper colour, pick up 8 stitches either side of the neck join (16 in all) and knit 20 rows.

Change to main colour and knit 10 rows for paws and cast off.

Scarf : Cast on 75 stitches in any colour. Knit 4 rows and cast off. Tie scarf on Teddy at the back of the neck, close to the jumper edge. Don’t sew down at the front.

Turn right side out and sew diagonal top corners for ears before stuffing.

Sew up Teddy leaving opening in crotch. After stuffing, run a thread through the knitting around the neck to draw it in.

Sew a happy face and for mouth use either stem stitch or back stitch.

Do you enjoy walking?  Like a good chat? 

Then Movemates might be a great organisation for you to join.

www.movemates.org.uk

E mail info@movemates.org.uk

Tel 01904 373017

Not being able to go out for a walk can be caused by numerous different situations such as feeling lonely or socially isolated, lacking confidence, recovering from illness or injury, dealing with mental ill health, living with a sensory impairment, fearful of falling or living with dementia to name but some. Movemates wants to help these people by encouraging them to walk outside with support to build both ability and confidence. They make walking a reality by pairing a client with a volunteer who will meet them each week for a short walk.  Clients are met at their front door and can choose to walk around the block, to their local park, to a shop, to collect a prescription or for a longer distance – whatever they wish to do and feel able to do. In this way, clients build their confidence and physical ability but also enhance their mood along the way, through regular contact with a walking buddy.

Impact statements have shown increased stamina, improved heart health, reduced anxiety and improved confidence and well-being.

The charity provides a flexible and rewarding opportunity for volunteers, helping to break down barriers for the vulnerable and promoting the health benefits of regular activity and company. Volunteers are always needed to enable more people to benefit.  If you might be interested, details can be downloaded from their website. All volunteers are DBS checked and require a character reference. They will also undergo online training before they are carefully matched with a client and the requirement is usually for an hour or two each week to provide regular walks with their client. You are also required to be a good communicator, empathetic and someone who enjoys the fresh air!

Anyone who feels they would benefit from a walking buddy is also invited to apply online.  You will be asked basic details plus what you hope to achieve from a regular walk and a little bit about yourself so that you can be assigned someone with similar interests or who can best support your needs.

This sounds such a lovely charity and an easy way to support someone in need whilst gaining the benefits of the fresh air and exercise yourself.  Ultimately, the aim is to help people move forwards with their lives but having studied the website and watched a short film there, I can also see how much it can benefit the volunteers too. Despite being limited to a small area of the country for the moment, there is no reason why this enterprise cannot grow and, on the website, you will find a section about starting your own Movemates group. I am sure they would be delighted to hear from anyone who would like to help the charity continue its valuable work.

Recycle your coffee pods with the PODBACK coffee pod recycling service

www.podback.org

Do you own a coffee machine? We’ve had one for years that my husband uses and all this time, the used coffee and milk pods are thrown in the bin once finished with. It has always seemed such a dreadful waste but I’ve never known what else to do with them, apart from emptying out the coffee grains to put in my flower beds ... until now.  Here in North Yorkshire, the County Council has combined with the PODBACK coffee pod recycling scheme and installed collecting points at many of their household waste recycling centres.

NYCC (and perhaps your local council too), are offering this new service as part of their aim of reducing waste and disposing of the pods in an environmentally friendly way. In a recent article, NYCC point out that recycling uses far less energy than manufacturing from raw materials.  By recycling, we are saving natural resources and reducing the carbon emissions that are generated when we throw items into a landfill site or have them incinerated.  This particular council, like many others, are becoming increasingly more aware of things they can do to help us become more environmentally friendly and aim to make it as easy as possible, thus encouraging as many people as they can to recycle, wherever it is an option.

The used coffee, tea, milk and hot chocolate pods should be separated into plastic or aluminium pods as they are recycled at different facilities.  These are then sent to specialist recycling plants, shredded to remove the coffee and then reprocessed and transformed into new products such as packaging, car components and building materials.  The used coffee grounds are treated by anaerobic digestion and become a soil improver and a source of renewable energy.

There is a vast amount of information on the PODBACK website with short films showing how the pods are treated.  PODBACK is a not for profit recycling service and everything is recycled in the UK. Their mission is ‘To create a world where every  coffee pod enjoyed is recycled.’ There are lots of handy hints on the website and details of what to do and where to go if your local council has not introduced the same initiative as NYCC.  These include drop off points at participating Morrisons and Starbucks, a drop off service and in some areas a kerbside collection service. 

Used pods should be placed in a PODBACK bag which is available free (full details on the website) and with a label attached, which you can print off at home. Participating brands, details of labels, bags and anything else that you might need is on the website.

Check out your local Morrisons, Starbucks and council and even your place of work as potential collection points. The Nestle site in York has one so other large companies may also.  And if they don’t – why not suggest that they do? It is not  a complicated process and might be something you and your friends can organise and encourage fellow workmates to support.

Are you like me? When you are clearing out your airing cupboard do you come across odd sheets, pillowcases and various other textile items that you no longer need or want? Have you got tablecloths and curtains that no longer fit your colour scheme? Or kids bedding sets that they have long since outgrown?  These often end up in charity bags or in my case, reused for various other activities, but I’ve just found information for a very useful take back scheme hosted by Dunelm Mill. The website is definitely worth a look.

This is the ideal opportunity if you are having a sort out, to recycle all your old textiles whether it is reusable, brand new or in a rather sorry state.  Often when we are replacing colour schemes we hang on to all our old bedding sets just in case … but how often do we then reuse them? They just end up clogging the airing cupboard shelves in my case or filling up a drawer, when they  could be put to better use.

Dunelm are now collecting any unwanted textiles which they will  reuse, repurpose or recycle. Home textiles include bedding, clothing, table linen, towels, blankets, cushions, bathmats, curtains .. just about anything!  But they CANNOT accept anything made with animal fur or items which are wet, dirty or contaminated in any way.

Dunelm has partnered with the Salvation Army to ensure that all donations are reused in some way and subsequently help raise funds so that they can continue their incredibly valuable work to support survivors and potential victims of modern slavery and those who find themselves in shelters for the homeless. The trading arm of the Salvation Army SATCoL is the largest charity owned textile collector in the UK, collecting 250 million items each year, including 62,000 plus tonnes of second hand textiles. They describe their collections as a ‘fuss free way’ to have a good clear out and avoid putting things in land fill when it can be used successfully by someone else.

Items are classed as reusable and non-reusable.  Reusable items must be clean, dry and in good condition so that they can be bought by someone else and used for their intended purpose straight away. Non reusable items are those that are worn out, damaged or marked and as such are no longer fit for use. Generally we would just put these in the bin, but surprisingly these too can be recycled.

There are a number of stores that have collecting bins so check out the website for your nearest location or ask at your local store. If they don’t collect, perhaps they might be encouraged to do so!

For those unable to take items to a store, the Salvation Army will be happy to receive your items directly. All the details are on the website of how to pack donations, download a free label and arrange for collection or delivery. It really is very simple. You can also donate as many times as you like.

All items, whether for posting or dropping into stores, should be wrapped or placed in a bag. Usable items are then resold or delivered to communities and institutions in need.  Older unusable items are sent to the recycling team, chopped into fine pieces, combined and spun into recycled yarn which is then used to create a new fabric.  Very little if anything is wasted!

The Salvation Army are also happy to receive duvets, quilts and pillows but suggest that as these are big and bulky, they should be delivered directly to a participating store.

On further investigation, it would appear that Dunelm also collect cookware, dinnerware, glassware etc, working with Age UK and Community experts to find new homes for your unwanted items and have partnered with the British Heart Foundation to collect unwanted mattresses and furniture. They also have a scheme by which you can recycle your old electricals if you are buying a new electrical product from their stores.

I haven’t tried this myself but love the fact that they can use/reuse practically everything and are supporting various charities plus lots of people who find themselves in need of a little help. Dunelm say that they are ‘making it easier to do something useful with unwanted home bits…’ and are aiming to make the whole system as simple as possible and without costing you a penny.

I’m all for supporting schemes like that! Another way of reusing all the stuff I have collected and never use without contributing to the huge landfill sites we already have. Worth checking the website and your local store to see if there is somewhere close to you!

Recycle your old plant pots and seed trays with B&Q 

I finally got round to clearing my garden shed the other week and was shocked to find just how many plastic plant pots I owned!  They were scattered all over the place and took quite some time to sort out to see exactly how many I had of each shape and size, but after doing that it was quite obvious that I had far too many!

Each year I buy a selection of bedding plants, plant them out in the garden and then put all the pots and trays in the shed because I never know quite what to do with them. I don’t want to put them in the bin as that seems incredibly wasteful, they can’t go in the kerbside recycling so they just mount up year on year.

I’ve now found that B&Q have installed recycling stations and instore collections at around 100 stores! What an amazing initiative but why has it taken so long?  They are happy to take collection of whole, damaged or broken plastic pots which are recycled and made into a new pot which you can then buy from the store if you wish. Sounds ideal! The recycled pots – the Blacksmith planter pot – is weather resistant, made from 100% recycled materials and has two useful handles for easy moving. Best of all, it should be retailing at only £4. By doing this, they are repurposing something that is being discarded and providing a convenience for their customers.

This initiative ensures that plastic materials are continually recycled and reused, reducing overall waste and reducing the impact on our environment by avoiding mass collections at landfill sites. B& Q want ‘..to make a positive difference.. and continue to put innovation at the forefront of our approach to helping our customers make more sustainable choices.’  They are following the ‘Responsible Business approach’ and have diverted 99% of their waste away from landfill. By 2025, they hope that 100% of their wood and paper products are responsibly sourced.

It feels wrong to discard something which can be reused so this seems a great way to clear my shed and encourage the re use of a product to create something new. I haven’t been able to find a website which tells me where the 100 stores are located so I think the best bet is to visit your local store and either look for collection bins or ask at the checkouts.

I am also aware that they can recycle batteries, electrical cables, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes and small electrical products – all items that are often difficult to dispose of safely and items that can be repurposed instead of going to landfill.

There are other options that you could try if you are clearing out your greenhouses and sheds and find a plethora of pots, seed trays and so on – some garden nurseries and centres (such as Dobbie’s) may take them from you. There are also a variety of charitable garden nurseries and centres who may be very happy to relieve you of extra pots so it is worth looking around your village or town just in case. Some schools and nurseries have gardening clubs and are always on the lookout for extra pots and trays, old tools and spare seeds and plants and it might be that your neighbours are in need of a pot or two.

So before throwing your pots away, dumping them at the local tip or filling your roadside bin – give some thought to what you could do with them instead.

 Creating something new from something old, broken or unwanted is surely the way to go to help protect our environment.

Affiliated to the United States charity with the same name, this is a campaign under Hope4women International, which aims to provide dignity to women around the world. Begun in 2006, Hope4women, a non-denominational independent Christian organisation, recognised the dream that every girl has the right to own at least one new dress.

The UK branch is an independent not for profit organisation who encourages keen sewers to gather together to make a range of simple dresses and shorts, (so that boys can own something new too) which are then distributed in Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Gambia and Syria. Deliveries are made to small villages where there is no easy access to clothing items, so there is no negative effect to the local economy nor competition with local businesses.

The dresses are vital to  girls living in poverty and consequently at risk of dangerous situations. By providing girls with a basic but new dress, they become less vulnerable to rape and sex trafficking. Each dress has a pocket with a label on it, indicating that the girl has a family and belongs to a community where she is cared for. This is believed to act as a deterrent to predators. By receiving the gift of a new dress, the girls know that they are worthy of respect and consideration.

The UK contact is Jacqui Onslow who posts regularly on Facebook to show the wonderful work that the charity does. The delight on the girls' faces as they receive their dresses is wonderful to see. The website has a selection of patterns and instructions that should be used. The peasant style dress is favoured as it suits most cultures, is comfortable to wear, easy to wash and easy to look after. The fabric used should be cotton, as polyester doesn’t breathe very well in high temperatures and isn’t as comfy.  Cotton is also more robust and can survive repeated washing in rivers.  Colours should be opaque to provide modesty for the wearer.

The peasant style dress is apparently easy enough for a beginner sewer as it is a simple design with no buttons, zips or gathers, however, the basic style can be adapted to provide uniqueness for the wearer, by adding a different style hem (perhaps a ruffle) and different lengths of sleeves, for those who are  more confident with their stitching skills. There is also a pattern for a dress made from a pillowcase – a great way to use up all those odd pillowcases stacked in linen/airing cupboards. I seem to collect them!

The website also has suggestions for some suitable commercial patterns that could be used, but states that ties should be used not buttons, as the girls have no means of mending their dresses or replacing lost buttons.

Help is also needed to pay for the postage and transport of completed garments to areas in need. A poster and flyers can be downloaded to help advertise fundraising events if you would like to support htem.

Completed garments (dresses and shorts) should be sent to Jacqui Onslow DAGAW, Hedgerows, Cockpit Road, Kingshill, High Wycombe, HP15 6HA.  Enclose an e mail address or SAE for an acknowledgement of your donation. Over 50,000 items have already been made in the UK and over 3 million dresses in the USA!

The organisation does not accept second hand garments, all must be newly made.  Jacqui is also looking for people who visit suitable areas and could help with distribution or who have connections to areas that might wish to have some of the donated items. If you can help, contact Jacqui at Jacqui-dressagirl@outlook.com

DAGAW  delight in encouraging and enabling volunteers to join together for an afternoon of fun, chat and work to create dresses and shorts. It is a great opportunity to share skills and experiences, use up off cuts of materials, recycle pillow cases, sheets and duvet covers and help girls across the world to remain safe.

The Virtual Village Hall is a free, online activity hub and community that was launched in 2020 by the Royal Voluntary Service, when the onset of Covid – 19 caused all community centres and village halls to be closed during lockdown. Over 352 RVS volunteer run community-based groups also had to shut as the world was plunged into chaos and the unknown. It was a desperately lonely time for many who were cut off from friends and families and had no physical support available to them. 

The RVS quickly recognised that physical and mental wellbeing would suffer greatly, particularly for those at risk of loneliness, social isolation or coping with long term health conditions – people who were extremely vulnerable, and they acted swiftly.  The Virtual Village Hall opened within a matter of weeks, providing support and helping people stay physically and mentally active.  They wanted a safe space, available to all, where people could remain connected to others and have fun.

The Virtual Village Hall is open to everyone and free. There is no sign in and no subscription fees. It is also available to access 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

From its small beginnings, the Village Hall now offers 12 to 15 live sessions a week and a library of over 2,000 sessions to choose from, covering a wide range of topics including: cooking, crafts, sign language, ballet, gardening, books and laughter yoga. During lockdown I enjoyed the ballet sessions run by a professional dancer, quizzes and some music events. 

Sessions are run by professional and sometimes famous tutors and are livestreamed on Facebook.  They can be followed in real time or viewed on demand from the website www.virtualvillagehall.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk If sessions require equipment or ingredients, these are kept at low cost and are easy to source so that they can be ready in advance.  A weekly timetable is posted on Facebook and YouTube on Mondays at 8am but it is possible to have one e mailed by contacting virtualvillagehall@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk

The Virtual Village Hall has gone from strength to strength and continues to provide support to those coping with long term health conditions and people who cannot get out and about, though it is still accessible to all. The Village Hall remains free of charge but donations are always appreciated if you would like to make them your latest Rainbow friend. 100% of donations goes to the Royal Voluntary Service and helps to continue their work in hospitals and communities.

The Village Hall is also always looking for new and exciting activities. Details can be found on their websites as to how to offer your services if you feel that you can offer something different.

If you are unwell, feeling lonely or just generally curious, take a look at what is on offer and discover a whole world of learning at your fingertips. There is something for everyone and a chance to try out new experiences and if you are able to, consider offering a small donation to help the Royal Voluntary Service continue their wonderful work in easing the loneliness of many vulnerable people.

I’m getting more interested in recycling as much stuff as possible and passing on anything that I no longer need or want, to someone who may benefit from it. It kills two birds with one stone – clears the clutter from my house (and it definitely needs decluttering!) and raising money for a worthy cause.

Locally, I have just discovered a collecting point for aluminium drinks cans. In my area, the collection is sold to a local metal merchant and the money is donated to the RSPCA York Animals Home.  This charity works in partnership with the RSPCA National Society but focuses on helping animals in the York and Harrogate District. They have been supporting animals in need since 1864 and currently house dogs, cats, rabbits, small furry animals, birds and some wildlife including hedgehogs and birds that are released back into the wild once they have recovered from their various ailments.  The running costs for this facility are a staggering £1,400 per day!  The charity relies on donations to fund their work and to keep the centre open, allowing them to find new loving homes for the animals in their care. They provide a high standard of care and accommodation for the animals that come to them, good nutrition and a stimulating environment.

Collecting and selling cans on their behalf is a great community fundraising initiative for your village, school or place of work. Not only is it recycling used goods, it is environmentally friendly, as well as supporting a worthy cause and aluminium cans are worth money! The RSPCA York Animals Home has collecting points at the animal home in Landing Lane, Clancy’s/Wards in Murton or the Management Suite at the Vangarde Shopping Park York.  However, you may find a local collection point or an RSPCA home in your own area who would love your support.

Aluminium cans are easy to identify as they may have an alu symbol on the side, but if they don’t you can check by doing the magnet test. Aluminium does NOT stick to a magnet.  Empty, wash and then squash your cans to save space at collecting centres.  You can do this by stepping on them or by buying a can crusher specifically designed for the process. Then bag them up and deliver them to your local collecting point. Spread the word amongst family and friends and you are likely to find that people will be delighted to help you.

I came across two sites (there will be more) that can help you to recycle your cans independently so that you can choose your own charity to support.

www.thinkcans.net/how-recycle/charity has a dropdown list of collection points in a variety of areas.  www.everycancounts.co.uk provides cardboard recycling collecting bins, stickers and posters to help you promote your cause and get others involved.  They will also give advice on finding a local merchant.

You can also work independently, finding your own local metal collecting merchant.  Typically, prices are around 30 to 50p per kilo of cans which is approximately 80 cans.  It is always best to ask your local merchant first though before turning up with bag loads of cans!

Most of us recycle our used cans in the usual collecting bins so why not collect them for a good cause instead? It doesn’t take much effort, it costs you nothing but it could make a great deal of difference to a local charity near you.

I was surprised to find a rack of clothing in the cafeteria at work the other week and intrigued, I checked out the noticeboard beside it.  It was a plea for smart interview appropriate clothing to be donated.  Donations would be given to students in the city who were struggling for funds, needed support when applying for jobs and needed the appropriate clothing to look smart. The aim of the collection was to help remove the barriers to employment for many  young people living in the city of York.

Having done some research I am now aware that there are many organisations who provide this service and there may well be one in your nearest city. 

We all know how important it is to make a good first impression and that first impressions really do count but how many of you knew that research has shown it takes a potential employer approximately 9 seconds to make their first judgement on a candidate and their suitability for the job on offer?  It is a shocking statistic and proves how vital those first impressions are. I remember once being told by an interviewer that the first thing they looked at when a candidate walked in the room, was their shoes. If they were scuffed or not polished, the person had no chance.  I suspect that view is now outdated but it is true to say that candidates are being reviewed from the moment they enter the interview room, if not before.

There are many charities that aim to address this problem specifically, providing a suitable clean and totally free outfit for people who have a confirmed interview. Clothes are donated by professionals, banks, offices and local businesses. They are checked for damage, dry cleaned and then set aside until a request is made.

Many of the charities not only offer a free outfit designed to give the interviewee confidence, but also give interview advice and teach various skills to help greater success at interview.

www.suitedforsuccess.co.uk is one such company. They launched in May 2015 and are proud to offer a service which can potentially change lives.  They are based in Birmingham and offer free coaching, styling and an outfit for anyone who has a confirmed appointment. They have details on their website on how to donate and the type of clothing that is most useful for them.

Other organisations include:

www.smartworks.org.uk based in London but with outlets in several major cities across Britain

www.dressforsuccessgl.org based in London

www.gmworkingwardrobe.co.uk based in Greater Manchester

but you may find somewhere closer to you with a little bit of research online. It may be your own company already does something like this or would be open to the idea.

All the charities are looking for smart, clean and undamaged, lightly worn or new clothing that is suitable for an interview. This also includes shoes, coats and bags.

Since the pandemic, there are many people now working from home and attending meetings via Zoom, so the need for more formal clothing has been removed. If you have a wardrobe full of stuff you never use, this could be a great way of having a clear out whilst potentially helping someone else to find a job, start a career and begin a new life. There are many people out there, who through no fault of their own find themselves in a position where they cannot afford to buy suitable clothing or who are desperately trying to get off the streets or out of hostels to create a new and better  life.  This is one simple way that you can help them to do just that.

Check your cupboards, drawers and jewellery boxes and donate your old, unwanted and broken jewellery to raise money for your favourite charity.

The following organisations are just a selection of many that will happily take these pieces from you. Each ask you to put the items into a jiffy bag or envelope, no bigger than A5 and to download a label from their website. This, when attached to the envelope, will entitle you to free postage so not only are you helping a charity, apart from cost of the envelope (and you can reuse one that has been sent to you), it will cost you absolutely nothing!

Some organisations ask you to include details of your name, postcode and e mail so that you can receive an acknowledgement once your donation has been processed, but this is purely voluntary.

Another useful hint was that the envelopes should not weigh more than 2kg, but apart from that, the charities below seem happy to accept anything that you are willing to send.

A selection of charities accepting jewellery donations are as follows:

www.kidneyresearchuk.org

www.cats.org.uk

www.supportdogs.org.uk

www.ssafa.org.uk

www.braintumourresearch.org

www.alzheimars.org.uk

I’ve also found local sites that will accept old and broken jewellery so it is worth researching your local Facebook sites or press. In my village, somebody collects to raise much needed funds for deaf children and another for a local animal rescue.

Most of us have stuff like this lying around in the back of drawers and cupboards, so next time you are having a sort out, why not gather it together, stick it in an envelope and send to one of the above organisations or see if your favourite charity will also accept them. In that way, you will end up decluttering your home and help raise funds for people and animals in dire need of help.

It’s got to be a win/win situation!  Happy hunting.

Donate your unwanted toiletries and household cleaning products to:

The Hygiene Bank

www.thehygienebank.com

Lizzy visited her local food bank and was told that hygiene products were occasionally donated but on an ad hoc basis and there was a dire need for more. She also learned from teacher friends that many of their pupils were having to improvise where hygiene products were concerned or turned up to school in dirty uniforms. This caused a stigma for the pupils who were often socially excluded, humiliated and embarrassed by their predicament. These same teachers were buying basic products from their own pocket to help or taking school uniforms home to wash on behalf of their pupils.

After hearing these stories, Lizzy put out a plea on her social media pages and was inundated by donations from her friends and offers of help. Overwhelmed by the support she received; Lizzy created The Hygiene Bank.

The charity believes that ‘Everyone deserves to feel clean,’ – it is not a luxury or privilege, it is a basic right. They aim to give people access to the basics they need, to end social isolation as a result of hygiene poverty and to improve confidence. Many of those struggling to buy basic products lack self confidence and are very conscious of the way they look or smell. This can have a huge impact on mental health and well being as well as affecting employability, learning and social interaction.

The Hygiene Bank collects, sorts and distributes donated products to a network of community partners which include charities, schools and other organisations. Many brands and retailers are working with the charity and donating unused or repackaged products which are perfectly good to use but are no longer being sold.

The Hygiene Bank are happy to accept any new, unused and in date personal care products or household cleaning essentials including nappies, toilet rolls, surface cleaners and laundry detergents. Basically, ‘If you need them and use them, then it is likely someone else needs them to.’ Any products you gather can be taken to various collection points, details of which can be found on the website. I googled my postcode and there were numerous collecting points including my local Boots and supermarket. If you are unable to get to a drop off point and would like to donate, you can buy from their Common Good Community WishLists, selecting the items and how many of each you would like to donate.

To find your nearest local project or even to start one up, check out the website which will give you all the details you need. They will also help you find your nearest drop off point, advice on how to donate money online and how to apply for products if you are in need.

The charity cannot accept half used (nappy packs seem to be an exception) or old products so please only donate what you would happily gift to a friend.

Last year it donated nearly 400,000kg of products, helped by its founding partner Boots who joined forces to help close the hygiene poverty gap. For every kg donated in a Boots store, Boots donated 1 full sized product and have so far given away over 1.5 million products. Recipients of products have included homeless shelters, food banks and refugee centres.

A startling statistic is that in a classroom of approximately 30 children, there will be on average 9 children living in poverty. (Joseph Rowntree Foundation.)  That seems to me to be a shocking statistic in the 21st century, but one that we can hopefully help alleviate by donating some of the many products we might not need ourselves.

Why not have a look in your cupboards and see what lurks at the back? Perhaps you too will find a product you no longer use or no longer like which someone else would be incredibly grateful to receive.