What are charity gifts?

Charity gifts are a great way to show friends and family you are thinking of them while helping some of the poorest people in the world. Sometimes called ‘alternative gifts’, a charity gift could be a goat for a family in Burundi, cocoa seedlings for a farmer in Nicaragua, or a school desk for a child in Sudan.

You don’t receive the goat or desk itself. Instead the money goes towards providing these vital items to the family or community, as well as supporting the charity’s wider work in that country. Your friend will receive a card with more information about the charity gift and the difference it will make.

Choosing a gift

You can usually buy charity gifts online through the organisation’s website. Try Oxfam Unwrapped, Present Aid (Christian Aid) or Concern Gifts for a huge range of alternative gifts. Filter the gifts by category to help you choose something close to the heart of the recipient.

For an animal lover, you could buy a family a cow. Cow gifts are a great option because they not only feed a family but offer a sustainable future too: the manure can be used to grow crops and the surplus milk can be sold.

How much you spend is also up to you. Oxfam’s alternative gifts start from as little as £6 for a health check-up, to £1700 to build a classroom.

Buying a charity gift online is like buying any item online: you choose the gift you want, add it to your ‘basket’ and then complete your personal and payment details at the online checkout.

You’ll be asked for the recipient’s delivery information and often you can personalise the card they receive with your own message.

Ethical gifts

Many charities also offer a selection of ethical gifts and shops which are a bit different. Ethical gifts include items like chocolate, coffee, jewellery, greetings cards, toiletries and bags. They are produced in a way that is fair to the local community and kind to the environment.

Ethical gifts can also be bought online through the charity’s website. Sometimes you can arrange for the item to be sent directly to the recipient, or sent to you to wrap up and deliver.

Please carry on browsing our Green Business directory for more information about where to buy organic, fairtrade and cruelty-free products.