Ripon

We appreciate that Christmas can be a very difficult time financially. With that in mind we can help provide some presents for you and your family to go towards the big day! To receive some gifts please get in touch with us. We will need your name, address, contact details along with the ages and genders of family members you would like gifts for. As well as providing gifts for children and babies, we like to include (where possible) gifts for parents/carers/extended family or adults living on their own.

We will put together a festive gift bag containing gifts for each person plus some festive treats! We will contact you when your gift bag is ready to collect. 

Please be reassured that details are confidential and would not be shared with any volunteers that help to pack the bags. We rely on donations but we aim to help every family or agency that contacts us.

We really appreciate each and every donation but kindly ask that all gifts are new and not gift wrapped. We will be accepting Christmas donations from 13th November 2023, and can be dropped off to us Monday-Wednesday between 10am-2pm. It would be incredibly helpful if we could receive gifts before 6th December 2023, although we can appreciate this seems early, a lot of gifts go through agencies who need time to get them to individual families before the big day. We will give gifts to people of all ages from newborn baby right through to elderly.

We would be especially grateful for the following:

•    Gift vouchers are particularly helpful (eg high street or local vouchers, Love2Shop, Boots, Argos or supermarket vouchers)
•    Sweets / chocolate / boxes of biscuits / selection boxes

Toddler gifts (2-3 years)

Tactile books, dolls, jigsaws, games such as orchard games, stacking or shape sorting gifts

Age 7-11

•    Such as Lego, trivia games, socks, keyring
•    Books – e.g. Tom Gates
•    Crafting kits
•    Top Trumps
•    ‘Uno’ game or similar
•    Hot water bottles, Mugs, Puzzle books, Quizzes , Family games
•    Sensory and calming gifts  fluffy, scented or fidget toys

Teens

•    Bath and body gifts – e.g. body sprays, / shower gel sets, 
•    Nail varnish or hand cream
•    Pretty stationary such as notebooks, journals or mindful colouring
•    Footballs
•    Games, Lego or trivia cards
•    Hot water bottle (with cover)

Gifts for adults 

•    Mugs
•    Mens scarves and gloves
•    Jigsaws less than 500 pieces
•    Family games
•    Small (shop bought) gift or food hamper
•    Socks
•    Hot water bottle

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept the following:
•    Anything that is used, opened or in poor condition
•    Clothing
•    ‘freebies’ or miniature travel size products, loose sweets
•    Mismatched sets
•    Large items e.g. toy pushchairs, skateboards, big vehicles etc

Simply scan this QR code which will take you to the Ripon Corps Just Giving fundraising page - all donations made using this QR code will be allocated to the Ripon Corps.  Thank you.

Alternatively, please contact the Ripon Corps to make a cash or cheque donation.

Join us for our Sunday Service, 10am on the second and last Sunday of each month followed by refreshments. Contact us for details of any other services.

Join us every Tuesday 9.30-11.30am for tea and coffee, refreshments, dominos and board games. Here we can also help with form filling, computers or budgeting advice, as well as a friendly chat.

Uplift is a wellbeing group for women of all ages and takes places one Wednesday each month 6pm-7.30pm. In each session there is an opportunity to make something to take home, or enjoy a prayerful activity using crafts or journals. This is a safe and supportive space for women to take some time to be themselves while enjoying activities, a chat and refreshments. Check out our Facebook page for more details – The Salvation Army Ripon UK, or call 01765 692657 for more details. 

We are happy to provide food for anyone who is facing hardship or struggling to feed themselves or their family. We do not require a formal referral, however we look at each request individually. Our food support is usually short term and we understand that some families may need support for longer. You will need to provide some contact details and a little bit about your circumstances. We always aim to help as much as we can.

We can offer further support at our Tuesday drop-in. This could be support with budgeting, signposting or just a cuppa and a friendly ear or prayer.

You can request a food parcel by calling us on 01765 692 657 Monday-Wednesday 10am-2pm. If you need emergency food outside these hours, please private message our Facebook Page, The Salvation Army Ripon UK and we will do our best to help.

DONATIONS TO OUR FOOD BANK

We welcome donations and really appreciate support for our foodbank. Items can be dropped off to us on Lead Lane Monday-Wednesday 10am-2pm. Please note we can only accept items which are in date.

We are always grateful for:
•    Long life milk
•    Rice pouches (plain microwave rice preferred)
•    Tinned meat (eg stewed beef in gravy, mince in gravy, tinned ham, corned beef, hot dogs, meatballs)
•    Tinned carrots
•    Pasta sauce
•    Rice pudding
•    Custard
•    Biscuits
•    Washing powder / gel pods
•    Toiletries – such as sanitary products, toilet rolls, shampoo, soap, body sprays, toothbrushes
•    Nappies (sizes 5 and 6) and baby wipes
•    Cleaning products – such as antibacterial spray, toilet cleaner (NOT bleach), multi-purpose cleaner

Thank you for your kindness. 

We are unable to receive any donations of clothing, furniture or bric-a-brac. We would kindly ask that you donate any of these items to The Salvation Army charity shop in Ripon, who you can call on 01765 600 455.  Essential needs (01423 870040) and St Michael’s Hospice charity shop (01423 563 230) may also be able to collect furniture.