Store First Barnsley joins homeless Christmas appeal

Homeless people in Barnsley will get a helping hand this Christmas thanks to a shoebox appeal set up by a local resident.

Barnsley Homeless Christmas Appeal is asking residents to fill and decorate a shoebox. It can be a gift for either a man, woman, young adult, elderly person - or even a dog. All donations will be collected and given out to those in need, ahead of the festive season. Organised by Gemma Buckley, the appeal aims to "give a small gift and a bit of hope to a homeless person in Barnsley".

Gemma says: "Every Christmas, homeless people not only have to deal with the fact that they are homeless as well as other issues, but also have to deal with the "happy" part of the year, sometimes alone."

What to donate

Shoeboxes for adult men and women can include items of clothing. Particularly welcome are hats, scarves, gloves, socks, belts and waterproofs. Toiletries like toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower gel and deodorant are also suitable.

Food is great to donate, too. Things like packet soups, hot chocolate sachets, sweets, chocolate, ring pull tins and biscuits are all suitable for donation.

For young adults, organisers recommend book vouchers, sewing kits, hair brushes and bobbles. Plus, any of the items listed as suitable for adults.

Dogs aren't excluded from the appeal, either. Those who wish to donate to four legged friends can include dog food, bowls, blankets, leads, toys, treats, coats or pet shop vouchers.

Organisers simply ask everyone to decorate or wrap up each box. Plus, as an extra touch, Gemma would like everyone to include a Christmas card for the recipient, to spread a little festive cheer.

Where to drop it off

Store First's self storage Barnsley centre is one of several drop off points for the appeal.

The Store First team will also be helping out by using the centre's van to collect donations from other drop off points. This will enable organisers to co-ordinate and distribute boxes accordingly. The aim is to give out all of the shoeboxes to needy recipients before Christmas.

Find out more

For more information, or to see pictures of sample boxes for ideas, go to:

https://en-gb.facebook.com/homelessshoeboxappealbarnsley/

Or, to get involved, simply fill and wrap up a shoebox with selected goodies and drop it off at:

Store First
Ashroyd Business Park
Hoyland
Barnsley
S74 9SB

Or, visit the Facebook page to see a list of drop off points to find your nearest location.