How can you help families suffering from domestic abuse this Christmas?
Christmas is the most feared time of the whole year for victims of domestic abuse. Domestic violence rises significantly during the festive period. Not a year goes by when we don’t see a seasonal spike in incidents reported to the police. There are various ways you can help a family this Christmas…
1. Sponsor a Hamper for a Family
This Christmas we would love your help to raise money to provide a Christmas Hamper for all the families in our service so they can make a special meal in their home in our refuge. The hampers will be specific to the family’s culture and contain all the food for them to make a meal for their family on the 25th December. Each hamper will cost us £40 and will be filled with food for a
family of 4 people.
2. Supermarket Vouchers so Parents can be empowered and pick a gift for their Child
We would love supermarket vouchers for the families we support, both at our refuge and in the community, so that parents can pick presents for their children and also buy festive treats. Being able to give supermarket vouchers to families would be very empowering so that they can chose something to suit their child.
Last year I was given a supermarket voucher from MK Act, so that I could buy
Refuge Resident
presents for my children, as well as being able to buy our festive meal. This really
made my Christmas! I loved seeing my children’s faces after being able to get them
something on their lists. The vouchers were also fantastic as we could buy the food
which is traditional for Christmas within our culture. I can’t thank the people who
donated the money enough.
To sponsor a hamper for a family or buy a supermarket voucher please visit:
https://localgiving.org/christmas2023
Alternatively, You can post vouchers directly to us via:
MK Act, FAO: Lolly Marlborough, Acorn House, 381 Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 3HP
Or email the e-voucher to Lolly@mk-act.org
3. Buy a Gift
We have included a list of the ages of mothers and children in our refuge for anyone who would like to donate a present for a child or for a family (mother and her children).
Please note, due to health and safety we can only accept new toys and new clothes. We also cannot accept toy guns and knives.
We ask for all presents to be either in gift bags or plastic bags with a label on with the child’s age, or letter of the family (‘eg FAMILY K’ . Please do not wrap the gifts.
Ages and sexes of children in the refuge at Christmas 2023: We also distribute presents to families outside of our refuge, through our Crisis Intervention Service, so any other child ages are also very needed.
We are always very grateful for presents for teenage boys and Barbies, Action Figures, and dolls of varied ethnicities as we always particularly in need of these.
| Family | Mother or Father | Female children and their ages and likes | Male children and their ages and likes | Ethnicity |
| A | Mother | Girl 2 Colouring, books, lego | British | |
| B | Mother | Girl 6 Role Play and Crafty Supplies | Boy 1 Baby toys; Rattles etc. | British |
| C | Mother | Girl 8 Art supplies, Drawing, Colouring, Barbies | Boy 9 Fast cars and Pokemon | Indian |
| D | Mother | Boy 6 Balls, Sensory Toys | White and Black African | |
| E | Mother | Girl 6 Messy Play, Creative Art Supplies | Boy 4 Anything to do with Animals | British |
| F | Mother | Girl 7 months Baby Toys, Tag toys | Eastern European | |
| G | Mother | Boy 4 cars | Indian | |
| H | Mother | Boy 12 Board Games or Age-appropriate Vouchers Boy 6 Lego, creative art supplies | Bangladeshi | |
| I | Mother | Girl 8 Large Duplo Blocks, Plays Music Girl 5 likes role play toys, Girl 1 likes sensory toys | Boy 3 likes role play toys | Sri Lanken |
| J | Mother | Girl 8 Colouring, outdoor toys, art supplies. Girl 3 Sensory toys, art supplies, role play. | Boy, 6 months, Baby toys, sensory toys, books | British |
| K | Mother | Girl 15 Netball related and painting | South African | |
| L | Mother | Boy 5, Drawing, Colouring and Role Play | Romanian | |
| M | Mother | Girl 4, sensory toys, art supplies, role play. Girl 2, babies, role play, art supplies. | African | |
| N | Mother | 2 x Girls aged 7 Art supplies, Drawing, Colouring, barbies. | British | |
| O | Mother | Girl 13 Makeup, Vouchers for clothing, makeup and shoes. | Boy 4, Lego, cars, small world toys. | British |
| P | Mother | Girl 5, art supplies, drawing, role play, barbies. | Boy 4 Cars, lego, small world toys. Boy, 6 months, baby toys, sensory toys, books. | British |
| Q | Mother | Girl 2, Role play | British | |
| R | Mother | Boy, 2 months old, Books, sensory toys, tag toys, baby toys | British | |
| S | TBC | |||
| T | Mother | Boy 8 Create your own activities, paint money box etc Boy 5 Creative Art Supplies and Messy play | Pakistani | |
| U | Mother | Girl 2 Sensory toys, role play, large duplo blocks, books. | African | |
| V | Mother | Boy 7 Lego, cars, boats | African | |
| W | Mother | Girl 5, Books and colouring. Girl 8 Months Old, baby toys, sensory and books. | Boy Lego/ Vouchers | Portugese |
| X | Mother | Girl 3 Drawing, Arts and Crafts | Pakistani | |
| Y | Mother | Girl aged 4 Role Play, Arts and Crafts, Small World Toys | Boy 9 and 6 age-appropriate vouchers | Black European |
| Z | TBC |
Presents can be dropped off between 1st November and 8th December, Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 1pm.When you arrive to the reception at Acorn House, there is a phone on reception where you can call up to our office and one of our workers will come down and meet you.
Acorn House, 381 Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes MK9 3HP
Please email us once you have dropped off your gifts or vouchers so we can thank you
Thank you so much you’re your kindness and thinking of us this Christmas
With Festive Cheer, All the team at MK ACT.