Since 2013, the Macmillan team has been committed to pledging and donating boxes to Santa Shoebox (www.santashoebox.org.za). This initiative ensures that 110 000 underprivileged children around the country get a colourful box filled with essentials for development and fun. Each box must contain a bar of soap, a facecloth, sweets, a toothbrush and toothpaste, educational supplies, clothing and a toy. Eight items to make a little heart between the ages of 1 and 18 very happy.

As this is a nation-wide initiative aimed at helping children from all backgrounds and religions, Macmillan felt this was a great way to involve all our staff in a project to help those less fortunate than us. For a few months of the year, everyone at Macmillan has a chance to donate some of the required items or even a completed box. Our team excels every year and we receive amazing goodies. Near drop-off time (the last weekend of October), all the boxes get wrapped and packed. We make sure that each box is filled with love because we know that we are responsible for making a little heart happy this festive season. To us at Macmillan, love means that each box must be unique and must contain a few extra items such as socks/underwear and another small toy. It is great fun deciding what to pack for each child we pledge to.

The project has proven very popular within the team and also brings us all closer together.

This year we will be donating over 100 boxes and we’re delighted!