With December looming, now is the time to think about buying gifts for friends and family. It’s also a time to consider how and where you buy presents from which is where our handy gift guide comes in!
We’ve compiled a list of epic social enterprise inspired gifts so that you can shop safe in the knowledge you’re making a social difference.
If you think we’re missing any charities or social enterprises selling festive goodies or services, please Tweet us or drop us a note via the contact page.
- Make Pivot – jewellery made in temporary accommodation. All sales go towards funding their 2022 programmes in London hostels.
- Finisterre – B-Corp certified makers of sustainable clothing for those that love the sea
- The Bike Project – Jokes & Spokes is the comedy fundraiser event for The Bike Project where proceeds from your ticket will go straight to supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. (Stage date now expired)
- Another festive gift guide – curated by Social Enterprise UK for even more gift inspiration
- Toast – planet saving ale (literally) By using surplus bread to replace barley, they use less land, water and energy, and avoid carbon emissions. All profits go direct to charity.
- The Harrogate Chocolate Factory – a social enterprise aiming to help young people with learning disabilities and autism get the skills they need to help them into paid employment
- Luminary Bakery gift vouchers – they provide opportunities to disadvantaged women to build a future for themselves
- Redemption Roasters – the world’s first prison-based coffee company. For every £1 invested, £3.47 has been generated in social value
- Printed by Us – think printed goods. They deliver workshops to teach vulnerable people the craft of hand screen printing. Sign up to their newsletter to receive 10% off your 1st order. All profits are reinvested.
- NEMI Teas – specialist London-based tea company providing employment to refugees
- Tour Guides – Invisible Cities train people affected by homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city and offer these alternative tours to tourists and locals.
- Fat Macy’s Christmas Hamper – social enterprise that uses their restaurant and events catering business to train and support Londoners living in temporary accommodation and help them move into their own homes.
- Old Spike Roastery (Christmas blend) – their primary mission is to help reduce homelessness in the UK through training and employment within speciality coffee.
- Circle Collective – charity and streetwear store that gets disadvantaged young people into permanent, life-changing work.
- Change Please – they use the profits from a cup of coffee to train people experiencing homelessness to be baristas and give them a Living Wage paying job.
- The Feed Christmas Hamper – sales help fund their work preventing poverty, hunger and homelessness in Norwich
- Hey Girls – they produce environmentally-friendly period products that fund the fight to end UK period poverty
- Homeless Made is a social enterprise from BaronsProject – they have a fabulous range of Christmas Jumpers, socks & tote bags
- BeyondAutism – festive crafts on Etsy (they’re currently closed, so one for New Years restock!). They offer transformative specialist education for children and young adults with autism aged 4-19
- Butterfly Books – career themed children’s picture books that are reducing gender bias in professions
- Yellow Submarine – life changing bakes for grabs in Oxfordshire, all carefully handmade by their team of trainee bakers. 100% of profits go to charity.
- Wrag Wrap – gift wrap rental service designed to make reusable gift wrap more accessible and affordable
- Refugees Bees – environmental conservation organisation that is working to introduce beekeeping as a craft & therapy to refugee & local communities in London
Happy Christmas (or New Year) Shopping!
