Warm this Winter gift bags for older people

Every winter, 24,000 older people die in the UK because of cold weather

Please donate £35 now and make a difference, one small act of kindness at a time

Every unique donation (up to £250) will be doubled thanks to the Aviva Community Fund

This winter we are asking you, your friends and family to think about all the older people who will be cold in their home

And we are asking you to help keep them warm by donating £35 - the cost of a Small Acts of Kindness Warm in Winter gift bag

Each bag contains a fleece blanket, thermal socks, hat and gloves, soup, porridge and hot drinks, an activity book and pen and a useful pack of information

Every single gift bag will heat an older person when they cannot afford to heat their home

Please donate £35 now and make a difference, one small act of kindness at a time

Thank you

About us

"Thank you so much for showing that somebody cares about the elderly and not so well off. So grateful for the support and kindness." A  Warm in Winter gift bag recipient

We reduce loneliness and isolation for older and vulnerable people, particularly those who are cold in their home. We connect communities with kindness, one small act of kindness at a time.

We do this by sourcing and distributing practical gifts with the support of our 450 community volunteers and 150 local partner organisations. Partnerships are at the core of everything that we do – together we are stronger. We actively seek to build and grow our partnerships and to support and strengthen the work that these organisations do for vulnerable older people, particularly in areas of high deprivation. As well as providing practical help and support, these gifts reduce the negative impact that feeling lonely and isolated can have on older people’s physical and mental wellbeing. Since our work began in 2015, we have reached over 105,000 older people across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

Our Warm in Winter gift bags contain practical items to help older people keep warm. They heat the person when they cannot afford to heat their home. The gift bags include: a fleece blanket, thermal hat, socks and gripper gloves, hot drinks, soup and porridge. Helping to heat the person when they can't afford to heat their home.

All gift bags contain our comprehensive Purple Pages Information Pack including our bespoke Activity Book and literature that signposts which signposts recipients to advice, support and service, nationally, regionally and locally, helping them to break the cycle that loneliness and isolation can bring. Receiving printed information, with contact phone numbers is particularly important for this age demographic who tend to be less digitally literate and have less digital access than other age groups.

We distribute these bags free of charge to people in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire aged over 55.

Recipients of our bags experience one or more factors of deprivation - including health, economic and geographic. The rises to the cost of energy and increases in the cost of living mean that many of the recipients of our gift bags find themselves experiencing food and fuel poverty. Digital isolation can further compound other factors of isolation and deprivation that so many older people face.

In 2021 we received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, with special recognition for our work during Covid 19.

Watch here to see more about what we do and how we do it

“The hat, blanket, gloves and socks will certainly help in keeping warm. The food and drink packs are a nice treat." A Warm in Winter gift bag recipient

Our website is:

Small Acts of Kindness website