Staff at the Bath-based housing association Curo have been spreading festive cheer to people living in its temporary accommodation service this Christmas.
Curo staff wrapping up the presents | Photo © Curo
The Gifts for Good scheme has seen colleagues buying personalised presents for the residents, ensuring they don’t feel forgotten.
Kirstie De Beaufort, a colleague trainer at the organisation, came up with the idea when she noticed colleague Kai Fletcher, a Support Worker in Curo’s homelessness service, asking for gift donations for customers in need.
They developed the Gifts for Good pilot scheme, asking customers in temporary accommodation what would brighten their holidays.
Kirstie said: “We wanted to go beyond generic gifts and make our customers feel truly seen.”
Once they’d collected the wishes, Kirstie and Kai hung tags with the gift requests on a Christmas tree in the reception at Curo’s offices in The Maltings, Bath.
Kirstie added: “There was such a buzz in the office as people read the requests and rushed to help. It was incredibly touching to see how relatable the wishes were.”
One tag read: ‘Single male in his 30s, would love a radio to help keep his loneliness at bay.’
The simple but meaningful requests resonated with colleagues, and over 100 tags were taken in just a few hours.
Once the presents were returned to the office, colleagues then volunteered to wrap them and they were gifted to the customers.
Becky Allen, Service Manager at Curo, said: “The customers who live in our temporary accommodation have often experienced homelessness and a loss of connection.
“These personalised gifts show care and kindness in a way that makes them feel valued and supported.”
Curo provides emergency temporary accommodation to homeless single people and families. It has places for 23 households at one project in Bath, as well as in flats throughout the area.
