Shoebox appeal nearly 2,000 short with days to go

Organisers of a Christmas shoebox initiative in Sheffield are urgently asking for last-minute donations because they are still about 1,900 boxes short of their target, with only a few days left before collection points close. The appeal, which started in 2013, gathers shoeboxes filled with small gifts and passes them to more than 40 local charities that support people who would otherwise be unlikely to receive a Christmas present.

What the appeal does

The Sheffield Shoebox Appeal aims to collect 2,800 shoeboxes so local charities can distribute them to people in need across the city. Volunteers say this year’s response has been the weakest so far, and current donations are around 700 boxes below what they would normally expect at this stage.

Who receives the boxes

Organiser Chris Sexton explains that the boxes are prepared for adults rather than children, including homeless people, those fleeing domestic abuse or forced marriage, sex workers, and older people who may be alone over Christmas. She says that in previous years the storage space has been overflowing with unsorted boxes, but this time the area is almost empty.

Concerns about low donations

Sexton notes that the appeal usually sees a rush of donations in the final days, but the current shortfall has left her feeling panicked that the missing boxes might not arrive in time. She says the donation period must end early because checking and sorting every box before sending them on to charities takes significant time.

Possible reasons for the shortfall

She believes the ongoing cost of living crisis is likely affecting people’s ability to donate, and some supporters have said they are not seeing the appeal’s social media posts, which are the main way it reaches the public. According to Sexton, some recipients have described being moved to tears that someone cared enough to give them a present, and she finds it heartbreaking that some people might go without a gift this year.

“Everyone deserves a Christmas present. We would be truly disheartened if we are unable to provide that.”

Some recipients said they would have had no Christmas gift at all if it were not for the shoebox appeal, and that knowing someone cared enough to send a box meant a great deal to them.

Author’s summary

A long-running Sheffield shoebox appeal faces its worst shortfall yet, with organisers fearing hundreds of vulnerable adults may miss out on what could be their only Christmas gift.

BBC — 2025-11-27