July 2023 – Men’s gifts for Link to Hope Shoe Boxes and the next Sheepover at the Farm Animal Sanctuary

Link to Hope

This months Link to Hope Shoebox calendar theme is Men’s Gifts – Men enjoy presents to e.g. work gloves, DIY tools, tape measures, belts, ties and handkerchiefs. 

Some of the suggestions will be the same as last month where I suggested items for the elderly boxes.  In addition to the suggestions on the calendar my other go to items are safety razors and socks 😊.  Poundstretcher are still advertising some men’s socks reduced to 87p for 3 pairs of trainer socks and £1.00 for 3 pairs of sports socks – however my local Poundstretcher haven’t had any.  They do have thermal socks and works sock at £1.50 for 3 pairs and several sets of suit socks £3.50 for 7 pairs which works out at 50p a pair. 

For disposable safety razors, – either packs of 5 Bic safety razors for 55p from B&M or 59p from Home Bargains, or 10 generic safety razors for £1.00 from Poundland, Tesco, Sainsbury, One Below/One Beyond.

Poundland, Proper Job, and Yorkshire Trading all have some work gloves for £1.00 per pair.  Proper Job also have some for £1.25 and Yorkshire Trading have some for £1.49.  If you are buying for several shoeboxes there are various makes available on Amazon which are 12 pairs for £9.99.  For DIY tools if you have a Tesco Club card, they have several items in their ‘Keep it Handy’ range which are 2 for £2.00 (instead of £1.50 each) including a 5 metre tape measure and a 6 in 1 screwdriver.  (The range also includes a double pack of playing cards as well as hairbrushes or 2 mini LED torches – but see my bargain buys this month.) 

If you have a large Morrisons store they may have an aisle with budget friendly items some of which are similar to the keep it handy range – they have a 5 metre tape measure for £1.00, but I haven’t seen any screwdrivers in the range.  (They have hairbrushes, detangle hair brushes, 6 combs for, Reading glasses, and manicure sets for £1.00 – but see my bargain buys at the end of the blog!!.)  Proper Job have a 3 metre tape measure for 90p and a 5 metre tape measure for £1.20,  and single screwdrivers for 89p – £1.25.  Yorkshire Trading have a 6 in 1 screwdriver for £1.00. 

I’ve never put ties in a box, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone in the pictures receiving a box wearing one – but perhaps that because they haven’t got one, or it could be because the photos only capture a tiny proportion of those who receive the boxes 😊.  Belts tend to be quite expensive but perhaps your family or friends have some lurking in a cupboard that they haven’t used that they are willing to donate 😊.

Cloth Handkerchiefs are a good item to include if you can find them.  One Below/One Beyond do occasionally have a pack of 3 for £1.00, and occasionally Poundland stock them.  Online the cheapest packet I could see on Amazon’s are OnlyBee men’s hankies which are £3.49 for 5 either in white or white with a grey border.  If you can afford to buy more then a pack of 10 pure white hankies are £4.99 or a pack of 12 coloured hankies for £5.69 so bigger outlays but a cheaper price per hankie.  Do double check the size of the handkerchiefs – ideally for men’s hankies you want something over 36cm.  Ladies hankies tend to be under 30cm.

Another idea is a torch – ideally a wind up torch, (see last month’s suggestions), but you could add a small battery operated torch and additional batteries.  Poundland have a couple of options for £1.00, and Proper job have a small torch for £1.00 but they will need batteries. (Or see my bargain buys below 😊).

The Farm Animal Sanctuary

URGENT UPDATE

We promised our 600 rescued farm animals the best animal care, and a home for life.
Over the past 30 years, everything we have done is to deliver on these promises. We believe all of our 600 rescued animals are living the best possible life.
But funds to keep going are dangerously low, and there is a real risk of this charity closing.
We urgently need to find £30,000 per month to save this charity and our 600 rescued farm animals.

If you can spare any money even if it’s just a pound please consider donating to their crisis appeal. Link below or you can go onto their website https://thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk/ and find more information there.

https://thefarmanimalsanctuary.enthuse.com/cf/crisis-appeal

Thank you

Their second Sheepover of the year is on 22 July.  Take a tent and spend the night camping with the animals 😊.  Tickets can be booked via their website.  There will be refreshments available to purchase at the Sheepover.

They are also open at weekends to visit the animals, but you will need to take your own refreshments – again book via their website.

https://thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk/events

August will see the return of their Open Weekend – which aims to be bigger and better this year – The Animal Freedom Festival.  That’s on the weekend of 19 and 20 August – camping is also available.    There will be lots of stalls, including various food stalls, talks, music and of course a chance to see some of the animals. 

Please consider attending any or all these events to help support the care of the animals as well as helping to raise funds to buy and secure the site.

Bargain buys this month.

If you have a large Morrisons near you then head over to them quickly!!  I’ve got some real bargains.  My local Morrisons has part of an aisle with items similar to the Keep it Handy range in Tesco – ranging from notepads, and pens to toys, plasters, microfibre cloths etc etc, with most items £1.00.  At the moment they have a few items reduced – 18 long coloured pencils reduced to 25p!!!  20 felt tip pens reduced to 25p!!,

6 Mechanical pencils reduced to 25p, pack of 14 black hair snaps reduced to 25p, 36 hairbands reduced to 50p,

28 emery boards reduced to 50p, 3 nail brushes reduced to 50p

and a pack of 2 mini LED torches reduced to 25p!!!

If I come across anymore bargains this month, I’ll update this page, but otherwise till next month 😊