Be A Santa To A Senior - 2024
Home Instead West Lothian are re-launching their 'Be A Santa' campaign for 2024 to help deliver Christmas cheer to isolated, ageing adults across the local area.
Home Instead West Lothian are delighted to be re-launching our festive campaign, ‘Be A Santa To A Senior’, for the fifth year running in 2024.
The company is once again asking the local community to support the campaign by donating gifts that will then be distributed to isolated elderly people across West Lothian this Christmas.
Every year at Christmas, Home Instead West Lothian work in partnership with various community groups and charities to identify isolated older people across our local area who may not otherwise receive a present over the festive season.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community in West Lothian, we have donated gifts to over 1,200 local elderly people over the last 4 years as part of the campaign since it first started in 2020.
With demand growing each year, we are once again asking for help from members of the public to help support us by purchasing a gift for such a local older person.
We have various collection points available around West Lothian where people can donate their gifts, and are also running an Amazon Wish-List where people can order items to be sent directly to the Home Instead office.
Drop-off point locations:
Home Instead West Lothian
Unit 9 Grampian Court
Beveridge Square
Livingston, EH54 6QF
Klondyke Garden Centre
Campus Roundabout
Livingston, EH54 7AW
Forestbank Community Centre
Ladywell East Road
Livingston, EH54 6DX
J&R Veitch
Almondell Garden Centre
Raw Farm
East Calder, EH53 0ET
Mill Garden Centre
Mill Road
Armadale, EH48 3AP
Williamson’s Garden Centre
Beechwood Nurseries
17 Houston Mains Holdings
Uphall, EH52 6PA
Alternatively you can order a gift online which will be delivered directly to our office
The final date that we can accept donations will be Friday 13th December for our drop-off points, and Monday 9th December for Amazon Wish-List orders (to allow time for delivery).
Home Instead volunteers will then collect all of the gifts, allocate them to a suitable recipient and wrap them. These will then be distributed to our partner charities and community groups, who will deliver them to local elderly people in time for Christmas
For more information about the ‘Be a Santa’ Christmas campaign, call 01506 346046 or email [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions:
Where can I donate a gift?
Please see our list of collection points above or visit our Amazon Wish-List to purchase one online
Who will receive the donations?
Vulnerable older people in West Lothian that will be alone or otherwise unlikely to receive a present over the Christmas period. These individuals have been identified by local charities, community groups and other organisations and are not Home Instead clients.
Why older people?
Home Instead are experts in looking after elderly people, but wanted to do something that benefitted more than just our own clients. The hope is to bring a smile to the face of many seniors throughout our local area that might not otherwise have a happy Christmas.
Which community groups are involved?
In previous years we have worked with Food Train, OPAL Cyrenians West Lothian, Spark, Kirk of Calder, Dedridge Good Neighbour Network, Polbeth Harwood Parish Church, The Rosebery Centre, Livingston United Parish Church, Tippethill Hospital, and the West Lothian 50 Plus Network.
Each year we hope to expand our reach with the gifts that we donate. If you know of another group/organisation in West Lothian that may know of elderly recipients over the age of 65 who are isolated or may otherwise not receive a Christmas present, please ask them to get in touch with us.
What gifts do we recommend that people donate?
Gifts that could be suitable for either a man or a woman are preferred where possible. However, donations of any item(s) that an elderly person might appreciate would be welcomed.
This could include things such as toiletries, confectionary, jigsaws, puzzle books, or hats, gloves and scarves. For inspiration, please see our Amazon wish-list which has a selection of gifts to choose from.
Should the gifts be wrapped?
Any donations should not be wrapped as we need to be able to identify a suitable recipient for the gift and know what is inside. Home Instead volunteers will wrap the gifts and ensure that they are distributed to appropriate recipient(s).
When do people need to donate by?
The final date for donations will be Friday the 13th of December for our collection points. The last date for donations via the Amazon wish-list will be Monday the 9th of December, to allow time for the deliveries to arrive.
What happens after the gifts have been donated?
Gifts will be collected and brought to the Home Instead office in Livingston before being allocated to suitable recipients and wrapped. They will then be distributed to our partner community groups, who will deliver them to local elderly people in time for Christmas
How else can I get involved?
We are interested in hearing from local organisations and groups that either may be able to help us identify elderly people that are isolated or vulnerable that would benefit from receiving a gift, or local businesses that may be willing to support the campaign by donating gifts and/or hosting collection points.
Who can I contact for more information?
Please contact Graham Stevenson, Owner of Home Instead West Lothian on: 01506 346046 or email [email protected]
Order a gift online to be delivered directly to the Home Instead West Lothian office in Livingston
Amazon Wish-List