Katie Piper has joined forces with Dunelm to encourage Brits to bring joy to others by giving unused decorations a second life.
The 38-year-old model and author has teamed up with the home furnishings retailer to ask people to hand over their old baubles and tinsel to help bring festive joy to 175 care homes and community charity groups across the UK.
Over half of Brits admit to hoarding or throwing away unwanted Christmas decorations every year, with 63% buying brand new every year, but the new Dunelm campaign aims to give those in need some much-needed happiness this season.
Katie has helped them launch the ‘DunElves’ campaign, and has been named an honorary ‘DunElf’ as she pleaded with the British public to donate what they can to enable the vulnerable members of local communities to have a cracking Christmas.
Donating is easy, and you can hand in your old baubles and decorations to local Dunelm stores in the DunElves donation boxes, and they will then be distributed to those in need.
Many of the donated decorations will then be upcycled, and any excess donations will be shared with Age UK and Shelter.
“I’m working with Dunelm to help the British public to think a little differently this year,” Katie explained.
“Dunelm’s emphasis on community has really resonated with me – they are focused on making a tangible difference to local care homes and community groups, bringing joy to their residents who can sometimes find Christmas difficult or lonely,” she added.
More than 39% of Brits admit to owning decorations that never get used, and 55% confessed to chucking away unwanted baubles and tinsel.
After last year’s cancelled Christmas due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, more than a third of people are planning to put their Christmas trees up four weeks earlier, to make the most of the festive season this year.
The mum-of-two also launched the campaign on Instagram, and urged her one million followers to have a look in their lofts and garages to find any unwanted decorations that could help spread a bit of joy this festive season.
“I’m working with @DunelmUK to help spread some festive joy to care home residents and community charities up and down the country and I’d love you to join me!” she wrote alongside the campaign video.
“Have you got boxes of Christmas decorations collecting dust in your loft? (You know the ones that haven’t been put up since 2008!) You can give them a new lease of life and help make someone’s Christmas really special,” Katie added.
As well as the decoration donations, Dunelm will also be providing £30,000 of care packages to each of the care homes, refuges and shelters involved.
