How it all began

In December 1987 the first 25 hampers from the CAUSE Christmas Hamper Campaign were delivered and that was the start of our incredible journey.

Founder Pat McBride tells how it all began; "

The inspiration for what I and so many others now do was a pastoral council meeting when a young mother called Carol spoke about the impact of her husband being unemployed. She told us how they had sunk into depths of despair but had been lifted out of it by acts of kindness and love. That year I worked with pupils at Newlands School, where I was teaching, and got together 25 hampers.”

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The Christmas Campaign grew year on year receiving nominations from social services teams and schools. We began in Middlesbrough but as word grew we have radiated out and now support families across the whole of Teesside. We also now link with other local charities and provide support to their service users. 

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In 2016, having received more nominations than ever before, we launched our FaceBook page - the response was incredible.

The Christmas Hamper Campaign went VIRAL.

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In 2021 over 1400 HAMPERS 

were delivered across Teesside. 

Since starting 34 years ago, more than 

14,500 HAMPERS 

have been lovingly prepared and delivered

to those facing a bleak Christmas. 

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HOWEVER, THE NEED DOESN'T END

WHEN CHRISTMAS IS OVER.

Today, we are about so much more than Christmas Hampers and work throughout the year with 'Holiday Hunger' bags supporting families who are unable to feed their children during the school holidays and also responding to an ever-increasing number of crisis referrals from social workers and our referral partners.

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Organisations we support include:

Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar & Cleveland &

Hartlepool Social Services Teams

including 

Safer Families, Pathways, Through Care Teams, Children with Disabilities & Community Hubs.

A Way Out

Bungalow Project

Harbour Women's Refuge

Hestia

Homestart

Link

My Sisters Place

Nacro

North Star Housing

Thirteen

Teesside Family Foundation

Trinity Centre

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The Hamper Campaign is now active in around 45 schools across Teesside  with this number rising annually as past participants introduce it into their schools, workplaces and homes.

Touchingly, we now have many previous recipients of hampers who have grown up and contribute to the Christmas Hamper Campaign now they are in a position to do so.

The campaign has evolved over the years and continues to bring communities together in the most generous response to a genuine need within our local community

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However, the ethos remains the same;

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"to offer an act of kindness and love to those families and individuals who need it most." 

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