Organisations receiving Happy Handbags

*Nelson Trust cover a large area (Gloucester; Swindon; Bristol; Bridgewater; Newport South Wales and in Eastwood Park) delivering many services to women in crisis hence the large percentage going to them.

Nelson Trust also work very closely with Working Links – rehabilitation services are offered in Wales and the South West as part of Transforming Rehabilitation. (They with offenders who have either been sentenced by the courts to a community or suspended sentence order, or released on licence from prison to serve the rest of their sentence in the community.)  Happy Handbags are also given out here.

*Family Haven, Gloucester – The Family Haven strives to help vulnerable families in the Gloucestershire area, the families we help are homeless or living in unsuitable accommodation or stuck in the poverty loop as a result of their social and economic circumstances.  They do this by providing a day centre where they have a registered nursery with fully qualified staff which offers nursery education, respite and crèche facilities, and one-to-one sessions for those with additional needs for the children. They also offer laundry and bathing facilities, hot midday meals for all, parenting classes, healthy eating workshops, mutual support and buddying to fight isolation, active listening and advice for the parents. Unlike other day care services, they work with the family as a whole, providing both practical and emotional support. They recognise the importance of the holistic approach to achieve their aim of improving the family’s emotional well-being. Happy, confident, relaxed parents make for happy, confident, relaxed children. They concentrate on building self-esteem by focusing on the positives whilst working on areas needing improvement in a non-judgemental and non-prescriptive way. They provide information, advice, advocacy, active listening, stress management, alternative therapies, and access to other agencies. They are the only organisation in Gloucestershire providing this kind of service to families.

The shop Second Chance in Ashcroft Road Cirencester acts as a drop of point for Happy Handbag in regards to toiletries and underwear.

We have just started ( 30/03/2026) supplying Happy Handbags to the Avon & Somerset Police Force thorough Operation Bluestone.  Click here for more details of this initiative… 

Plus 16/04/26 we started supplying The Gloucestershire Night Angels teams in Gloucester, Stroud and Swindon with item to give to those ladies they help..   All donations go to the Glouceter Night Angel Charity shop in Clarence street to be sorted to supply all 3 sites.  Gloucester City Night Angels charity shop also act as a colleciton point for Happy Handbag donations of toiltries and underwear for the bags (as with Second Chance Charity shop in Cirencester)  We work in unison to help those in need……..

2026

Happy Handbags –  276 (4582 since start)
Happy’s – 155 (2805 since start)
Grand total as at 06/05/2026 – 7387

2025 Totals to end of 2025

Happy Handbags – 542 (4306 since start)
Happy’s – 509 (2650 since start)
Grand total as at 17/12/2025 – 6956

2024 Totals to end of 2024

Happy Handbags – 630 (3756 since start)
Happy’s (including Happy Bowls. sacks of bedding etc) – 539 (2211 since start)
Grand total – 5967

2023 Totals to end of 2023

Happy Handbags 450 (3126 since the start)
268 Happy’s* (1672 since the start)
Grand total – 4798

*¹ are either FULL carriers bags, boxes, sacks of clothing and/or household or baby items (e.g. high chair etc)

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History

Despite Covid in 2021/22 restrictions and lockdowns we have still managed 
173 Happy Handbags and 121 Happy’s

TOTALS TO THE END OF 2020
(Covid Restrictions)
Happy Handbags – 2428; Happy Bags/Sacks – 1180
GRAND TOTAL – 3608

TOTALS TO THE END OF 2019
Happy Handbag – 2040; Happy Bags/Sack – 1016               
GRAND TOTAL – 3056

TOTALS TO THE END OF 2018
Happy Handbags -1320; Happy Bags/Sacks – 688           
GRAND TOTAL 2008

TOTALS TO THE END OF 2017
Happy Handbags – 615; Happy Bags/Sacks – 387         
GRAND TOTAL 1002