5th March – I can’t quite believe that I have delivered 96 filled Happy Handbags plus 122 Happy’s (sacks/ boxes etc) so far this year! Huge thanks to all who have donated..
27th Jan 2024 – so much for a quiet month this month. So busy. – quieter months this month, 1 delivery to Nelsons Trust Swindon, 1 to Nelsons Trust Gloucester and 1 to family Haven Gloucester, each delivery was a car full! Thanks to all who donated. An extra special ‘thank you’ to the kind lady who had knitted 6 beautiful little baby jerseys – Family Haven were delighted as they have a number of new mums plus a number of new babies on the way. So if anyone likes knitting baby clothes and has no-one to give them to……
Today I want to thank Caron who has made a huge donation to Happy Handbag in the memory of her much loved and cherished mum who passed away just before Christmas. Thank you Caron for all the support you have given Happy Handbag over the years and this donation just made will help so many people in crisis situations. Your mum…. well you know.
So another drop-off to Gloucester before the end if this month!
15th January 2024. It was going to be a quiet month this month however the car is fully loaded with items (including nappies! – thank you to whoever donated these!) for Family Haven in Gloucester. Also more filled handbags for Nelsons Trust.
Plus a huge ‘thank you’ to Amanda, Pilates
instructor, and her ‘team’ for amazing donations today!
Please note Unfortunately Tesco at Bradley Stoke is now not accepting the donations for Happy Handbag.
January 2024 has started with 1 HH talk in Emersons Green plus a delivery of Happy Handbags, Avon products, Happy Bowls, clothing to Nelsons Trust in Swindon.
2023 Totals to end of 2023(thanks for all the donations
Handbags 450 (3126 since the start)
268 Happy’s* (1672 since the start)
Grand total – 4798
December 2023 so many donations this month, and deliveries to the Service Providers. The numerous Avon products and gift packs donated from Ellie in Kingswood was a huge bonus! And one lady, after seeing me in Bradley Stoke Tesco, donated 8 bags filled to the brim with products! I think from memory we gave out over 50 happy handbags on the run up yo Christmas!
30th November 2023 – so this month ended with the delivery of 20 HH’s to Nelsons Trust Gloucester plus 20 HH’s to Nelsons Trust Bristol. In addition 12 Happy bags of children’s clothing etc to Family Haven Gloucester. Nelsons Trust in Gloucester received 3 sleeping bags plus clothing, boots, blankets, bedding and towels, whilst Bristol almost received the same but no sleeping bags. Another 20 20 HH’s plus bedding, clothing etc is going to Nelsons Trust Swindon Tuesday 4th Dec. No more deliveries then until after Christmas. The big stores now step in with big donations of food etc for Christmas. Thanks to all who donated!
27th November 2023 – We have attended a number of Christmas events with the crystals this month and have been promoting Happy Handbag. Also an article about HH and the BEM award appeared on the front page of the local free newspaper! Car loaded for a trip to Family Haven and Nelsons Trust in Gloucester, then to be re-loaded for Nelsons Trust Bristol. Very busy month.
10th November 2023 – very busy week, following on from a promotion day in Tesco, we received a big donation of baby clothes. Plus a huge donation of toiletries, hats, gloves etc fro the Yate and Chipping Sodbury Townswomen’s Guild again. And thank you to Rachel at Crystal Classics, Thornbury – a car full of clothing, towels, toiletries etc! Busy now sorting an packing handbags,
3rd November – new collection point – Tesco in Bradley Stoke – trolley behind the security desk
30th October 2023 – B.E.M ceremony
9th October 2023 – talk given to Inner Wheel, Chipping Sodbury – thanks for your donations
28th September – helping out a young lady who has just being housed by Bromford Housing
13th September 2023 – a talk given to Yate and Chipping Sobury Townswomen’s Guild – thank you for the donations
4th September 2023 – delivering to a Service Provider in Cirencester
July 2023 – We braved Storm Antoni at the South Gloucestershire Show! Happy Handbag had a stall here selling pre-loved high end handbags to raise funds to fill the other bags to be given to Service Providers for women in crisis.
Thank you to all who bought a handbag and also those who took leaflets to ‘spread the word’.
July 2023 – The Kings Birthday Honours List – a British Empire Medal – For charitable services to disadvantaged people in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Swindon ares.
15th May 2023 HH was awarded the Points of Light Certificate – a daily award given by the Prime Minister!
NOM Wholefoods, Staple Hill now a collection point. Thank you NOM.
Lamb, Mangotsfield, offering to be a collection point for HH and to Pam then bringing all the donations to me.
20th January 2023 – 12 Happy Handbags plus 8 sacks of clothing (including a number of bra’s bought in the Next Clearance sale) to Nelsons Trust Gloucester + 7 sacks and boxes of clothing, toys and books plus many items of new children’s clothing bought in sales to Family Haven Gloucester
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21st November 2022- A huge thank you to St Stephens. Southmead for the 4 sacks of donations
13th November 2022- Nelson Trust has now received exactly 2,000 Happy Handbags to date
13th November 2022
Huge thanks to Southrop School pupils who, through their own imitative, raised funds for Happy Handbag last week
and the staff who have chosen Happy Handbag as the school’s Christmas Charitable Cause again this year.
Such an amazing school county school between Fairford and Lechlade.
Monday 5th September 2022 – A huge thank you to all who visited my stall at the Vintage Rally and who bought some of the handbags. Monies paid will go towards filling more handbags.
Sunday 4th September 2022- Vintage Rally & Tractor Event – Coalpit Heath – BS36 2OTI will be here selling some of the pre-loved designer handbags that have been donated.
Grab yourself a bargain and in the process help a lady in need.
28th August 2022
Here we are at the end of August still trundling along.
Things aren’t easy with the collection points still closed however people are still donating either dropping off to me, or I collect from them. I say it time and time again – if it wasn’t for BIG YELLOW SELF STORAGE – GLOUCESTER and their continued
support I wouldn’t be able to do this!!
19th January 2022- Baby products are now also being given to Hatherley Road Church of God Baby Bank in Gloucester
Please message us if you have baby equipment to donate Nappies please!
2 new car seats, baby chair, baby walker plus wet wipes, baby lotion etc delivered today
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December 2021 – Southrop Primary and Infants School choose Happy Handbag as their charitable cause to donate to this year – thank you Southrop School (a truly delightful little school in the heart of the Cotswolds)
10th November – Doynton and Wick W.I. talk
Thank you ladies for the numerous handbags – many containing products! Told them just how helpful Big Yellow at Gloucester are and the goodies they had sent down
9th September – off to Berkeley to give a talk on Happy Handbag.
Thank you for all the donations Berkeley W.I.
7th September off to Big Yellow Storage for a chat – they have renewed Happy Handbags storage for another 6 months. Thank you Big Yellow
August – another drop off to me – Thank You Pucklechurch W.I. for the donations
13th May 2021 – 15 beautifully filled Happy Handbags (all donated by Sue from Longlevens who made it her mission to do this through Covid!!) plus 5 brilliantly filled Happy Bowls with crockery/cutlery/cleaning materials etc (from Crystal Classics Thornbury) plus 6 Happy sacks to a new site in St Pauls
May 2021 – Thank you Sarah Honeywill, Fabrics Plus shop in Downend – The Knit and Knatter Group have focused on knitting and crocheting a great number of items https://www.fabrics-plus.co.uk
Huge Thanks to Big Yellow Storage, Eastern Avenue Gloucester without whose help in storing empty handbags and items
Happy Handbag would not still be operating. https://www.bigyellow.co.uk/gloucester-self-storage-units
END OF YEAR TOTALS FOR 2020
2398 HAPPY HANDBAGS + 1161 SACKS OF ALL SORTS (INC BABY ITEMS)
07/11/2020 – I am looking at building a local network of Happy Handbag volunteer helpers
If you have time on your hands, enthusiasm and a little bit of spare space would you like to be a Happy Handbag Local Contact?
If this is of interest to you please contact me on the form below.
05/11/2021 – Thank you Sarah Honeywill, Fabrics Plus shop in Downend
The KNit and Knatter Group have focused on knitting and crocheting a great number of scarves and hats
These will be so appreciated.
04/11/2020 – Nelson Trust in Gloucester will still be receiving Happy Handbags – they are needed more than ever now. 28 Happy Handbags going up tomorrow along with some carrier bags containing little gifts of nail varnishes, new purses, pieces of jewellery etc that kind people have been donating.
03/11/2020 – Thank You Standbrook Guides (Residents Handbook) and Big Yellow Storage Gloucester for your continued support through these very difficult times.
24/10/2020 – Nelson Trust have put a call out for new, unworn ladies underwear. Please message me if you can help.
We have plenty of empty handbags collected pre-virus in storage with Big Yellow in Gloucester.
A HUGE ‘THANK YOU’ TO BIG YELLOW, GLOUCESTER!
Happy Handbag are continuing to fill the bags for urgent Service Provider cases.
Hopefully these measures will stop the demise of Happy Handbag and the support we are able to offer those in crisis though
Service Providers.
20.02.2019 – Going to start this off with Ferne, who I think is, our youngest supporter and fundraiser.
She decided to hold a sale, selling some of her toys, in an effort to raise funds for Happy Child Bags.
She went to her teacher and asked if she could hold the sale after school one afternoon, in the school playground and the answer was ‘yes’.
She drew a poster and the school put it in the newsletter.
She gave out invitations to all the children in the school (only 56 children, a very small village school!).
Generously Tesco Yate and Quedgeley added a few times to her items. She raised £55 plus received a voucher from Tesco, Yate for £20.
I accompanied her shopping on Sunday to buy the products for the bags. She wanted every bag to contain a couple of toys plus ‘sensible stuff’ all specific children’s products – toothpaste/brush; 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner; shower gel and wet wipes.
She then made up 12 Happy Child Bags!
The bags were taken to Family Haven in Gloucester.
29/03/2018 – NOTICE
Some people never fail to astound me with their kindness and generosity.
Very many thanks to ‘Pendlebury’ of Wigan by Manchester who posted down to Happy Handbags, handbags complete with products!! I wonder if they know Pamela from Manchester who also posted down handbags with products at the beginning of the year. Or is it the same person??
Whoever it is in Manchester who is spreading the word ‘Thank You’ from the ladies in crisis down here in the South West.
Maybe one day we can get Happy Handbag set up in your area.
Thank you so, so much ‘Pendlebury’ and Pamela.
30/11/2017 I was on BBC Radio Gloucestershire on 30th Nov explaining about Happy Handbag. The morning show.
22/11/2017 Another amazing day in Tesco Extra – this time Quedgeley. I met some lovely, generous people and am just about to start unloading a very full car of donations! A few special thanks; to the ladies who donated toiletries and bags, to the 2 gentlemen who each made a monitory donation to buy products for the handbags and, after school turnout, the beautiful young girl (age 13?) and, at another time, the charming boy (again about 12/13)
who I saw just walk up and put some money in the collection bucket. There are very many kind and caring people !!
Thank you all…….
17/11/2017 Many thanks to BULLFISH CHARITY FAYRE where more donations were received.