The Christmas Stocking Campaign

FINANCIAL WELLBEING

The Christmas Stocking Campaign serves as a vital financial wellbeing support initiative during the festive season, offering essential resources and encouragement to individuals facing challenges. This project not only provides immediate assistance but also acts as a gateway to Mandalay Wellbeing CIC's broader community programs, introducing service users and businesses to initiatives that promote financial independence year-round.

By connecting participants to projects like Take a Chance on Me, which fosters confidence in financial independence, and Safe Harbour, which ensures stability for those in precarious situations, the campaign builds a foundation for long-term resilience. It also links to Win or Lose, Have Shiny Shoes, reinforcing dignity and opportunity through employment-focused engagements, and Nordic Working, which integrates physical wellbeing with professional development to open new pathways to employment. Additionally, Good Sports provides affordable access to sports gear, promoting inclusion and financial self-sufficiency.

Through these connections, the Christmas Stocking Campaign empowers individuals to take control of their financial wellbeing, offering a comprehensive framework of support that extends beyond the holiday season and into the challenges of the year ahead.ear.

HISTORY

The Christmas Stocking Campaign has distributed over 10,000 filled Christmas Stockings to people in need across Norfolk and Waveney since 2018. We now need financial support to keep going for an 8th year.

Our vision is to fill and distribute over 1500 Christmas Stockings in 2025 to local people and families who would benefit from ‘A gift from the community‘

How do we do it ?

We recruit ‘Elves’ from local groups and businesses from far and wide who organise collections of Christmas Stocking fillers, we then collect, bring back to our ‘Grotto’ then with teams of Elves we sort into age and gender ahead of distribution. We then contact local GP surgeries, Children’s Services, Schools and other professional organisations to nominate people and families who would really benefit from a ‘gift from the community’

We have worked with around 500 businesses and groups since starting, organisations like AVIVA, are so generous and kind in supporting the campaign, we like to think that they also enjoy getting into the ‘Christmas Spirit’ and actually get to see where their work goes in supporting people ensuring their financial wellbeing is a little more secure during what can be a very challenging time for many people. We also use the campaign to introduce our other projects around gaining employment to relevant people with our goal of supporting them to become financially self sufficient.

Aviva Marbel Hall Donation Point - One of our Christmas Collection Points

AVIVA Marble Hall - Christmas Stockings Campaign Launch 2025

When the donations are ready to collect from various sites, we travel out and fill our ‘sleigh’ to bring back to the grotto ready for sorting into age and gender ahead of filling.

We then have teams of volunteers who come in to fill the gifts and label ahead of distribution.

This year, and in previous years, we have had AVIVA colleagues who have used their volunteer days to become Elves for the day and really do much of the hard work in getting things organised. 

AVIVA Motor Claims Volunteer Day

We then distribute everything FOC to people who have received collection vouchers from professional services and others. If people cannot get to our distribution event we arrange other delivery/collection times.

Our distribution events are the highlight of many peoples year. All the volunteers who helped fill/collect are invited along (as Elves) to see how their work benefits the community and hand out mince pies and gifts.

We hope to continue next year, and this is where we need support, to cover venue hire, transport and storage costs, promotional items and core costs.

We know it is a big ask..but your support would help spread some Christmas Magic for another year.

Thank You to Amie Beth Steadman for the video from our 2020 campaign.

Merry Christmas !