Surrey Choices Launches The Magic Box Project to Spread Festive Cheer to Children in Redhill

Surrey Choices is continuing its mission to support local people through kindness, inclusion, and community action with the launch of its latest initiative – The Magic Box Project.

This heartwarming festive initiative aims to ensure that every child experiences the magic of unwrapping a present this Christmas. People supported by Surrey Choices will be wrapping and distributing gifts to children most in need within the Redhill area. The gifts have been kindly donated by staff and the local community including Advent Calendars from the Morrisons Reigate store.

Families who attend the Redhill Hub’s weekly Community Fridge will be invited to choose a gift for their little ones, and the team will also be delivering presents directly to local families identified as being in need. The initiative highlights the Hub’s ongoing commitment to creating a caring and inclusive community where everyone can both give and receive support.

Eli Karlicka-Cook, Community Development Worker at Reigate and Banstead Borough Council says
“The support to the local community by the clients and staff at the Surrey Choices Redhill Community Hub has been incredible. They have helped the residents with keeping the area tidy through weekly litter picking, cooking and serving community meals, running a community fridge twice a week and opening their doors to local organisations to host their meetings and events such as Cromwell Community Group and the Asian Women Wellness Hub. On top of that they have helped clear gardens of vulnerable residents so they can safely enjoy fresh air – so good for their mental health and physical wellbeing. They are all incredible people, so committed and invested in the community on Cromwell estate. The Magic Box Project will be of enormous help to families that struggle to juggle the cost of food, keeping the house warm and provide for their children.”

At Surrey Choices’ Redhill Hub, disabled and neurodivergent people can learn how to grow and prepare food as part of the Vocational Projects service, which supports people to live more independent lives. These skills are put into action through a range of thriving community projects. Every week, customers run a Community Fridge for local families who are struggling with the cost of living, offering free fresh produce and surplus food — grown on-site in the Hub’s allotments or provided through a partnership with FareShare. The Hub also hosts a monthly Community Meal, lovingly cooked and open to all, helping to bring people together while tackling food insecurity in the local area. As part of this year’s seasonal activities, the Hub will host a Festive Community Dinner in December, bringing residents together to share a homemade meal, enjoy company, and celebrate the warmth and generosity of the season. The dinner will be prepared by customers at the Hub, showcasing their talents and passion for supporting others through food and friendship.

If you would like to donate to Surrey Choices’ Just Giving page for FareShare you can do so here.