Dunelm needs your help to spread Christmas cheer to care home residents with its shoebox gift appeal

Dunelm has launched a community Christmas shoebox campaign - with shoppers able to buy a gift for lonely care home residents.

If you've already snapped up Boots No.7 beauty bundle (opens in new tab) for a bargain, then you might want to help someone else with the money you've saved.

Dunelm's community campaign invites customers to pick a name tag off the store's Christmas tree. The tags contain initials of a resident along with Christmas gift ideas (opens in new tab) of what they would like. This will enable them to buy something from the store to donate.

The gifts collected by the store will be sent to local people in care homes - helping to make their Christmas a bit brighter during these challenging times.

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Many shoppers are keen to get involved with this kind-hearted idea, with one customer having shared the news on social media, ”Such a lovely, simple way to ensure that elderly people with no family still get a gift at Christmas. See you round the tree.”

Dunelm confirmed it has set up its Delivering Joy initiative in all 173 of its stores nationwide, with the initial goal to donate 11,000 shoeboxes of gifts.

And it's not just the elderly who are set to benefit from the scheme as it covers local school children, care home and refuge residents. The initiative comes as many people across the country are met with financial hardship struggling with winter fuel bills (opens in new tab) and those needing to isolate or not see loved ones this festive period.

Janice Dunn, Head of Community at Dunelm said: “We’re completely overwhelmed by the positive uptake and responses we’ve received to our Delivering Joy campaign.

“The festive period can be a challenging time of year for many, with this year especially effecting those most vulnerable within our local communities.”

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Janice added, "As a company we’re in no way financially benefiting from this cause, community support is at our core and all we want to be able to do is spread as many smiles as we can this Christmas.”

Shoppers can make a Christmas wish come true by donating a shoebox of gifts from now until 11th December, which will then be delivered to care homes, local schools and refuges across the country.

The tags can be found on the Christmas tree at the front of each store, where staff will provide shoppers with a shoebox to take away, fill with gifts and bring back to store to place under the tree.

How you can take part in Dunelm’s Christmas campaign

• Request a tag from your local Dunelm community Facebook Group.
• Fill a shoebox with gifts from novelty mugs, to a fleecy blanket, children, young adults and care home residents have written on gift tags small wishes that would make a big difference to them this Christmas.
• Bring your filled shoebox to store between 2nd and 11th December where the gifts will be sanitised before delivered to the community.
•  Alternatively you can pick up a tag and drop off a box when you take part in click & collect

Social distancing and strict hygiene measures are operating in store to ensure the safety of customers and staff including hand sanitiser and clearly marked 2 metre walkways.

Stores in Scotland, Wales and NI are all still open so tags and boxes can be picked up/returned to store.

Further information can be found here (opens in new tab) along with some FAQ's.