Polly buys and gives hundreds of gifts to strangers in need each Christmas (Picture: Polly Arrowsmith)
At Christmas many of us may think about doing something nice for charity, however, more often than not, our good intentions go right out the window as there’s so much going on.
But one woman always makes sure those in need don’t go without on December 25, as she has spent the last 16 years buying and donating presents to strangers.
Polly Arrowsmith, 56, from Islington, London, purchases a minimum of 250 presents each year, spending an average of £2,500 on items to make up bundles for those who may feel alone or like an outsider at this time of year.
The Marketing Director anonymously donates these gifts to charities for vulnerable people, including St. Mungo’s, as well as women’s refuge centres and to OAPs in social care. She also asks on social media if anyone in her local area is struggling and would benefit from a gift.
Polly saves for months each year in order to be able to afford the presents, though she admits this year she’s had to cut back on her spending due to the cost of living crisis.
She’d originally earmarked £1,500 for Christmas 2023 but has had to be very savvy with her shopping.
She even considered taking a break and not doing it this year due to feeling the crunch, but after seeing the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s 2023 report into destitution, which found that approximately 3.8 million people experienced destitution in 2022, Polly knew she had to keep helping.
She gifts branded toiletries and treats like chocolate (Picture: Polly Arrowsmith)
And while she might have spent a little less this year, Polly actually doubled down her efforts to make a difference and as well as giving gifts, she’s also donating to food banks.
As many food banks are currently said to be struggling for ‘treats’ she headed down to Sainsbury’s and purchased 100 Terry’s Chocolate Oranges to donate, as well as 36 large Toblerones.
‘I got so many strange looks when I bought them,’ she told Metro.co.uk. ‘People were laughing. They were so curious about what I was doing.’
Polly plans to take the chocolates, as well as some toiletries, to a Trussell Trust food drive taking place at the Bill Murray comedy Club in Angel on December 20.
When asked why she does it all, Polly’s answer was simple — she doesn’t want anyone to feel like an outsider at Christmas time.
She claims she has experienced this feeling before and wouldn’t wish it on anyone as it was ‘awful’.
She’s also donating ‘treats’ to a food drive this year (Picture: Polly Arrowsmith)
‘When I was seven, my mum returned to her family home in Lapland and was involved in a car crash, which meant she had to stay there for eight months and we were separated over Christmas,’ she said.
‘My father drove my sister and I to spend Christmas with friends, but the presents my mum had sent didn’t arrive in time, so we ended up just watching the other children opening huge piles of presents.
‘It felt awful to be the charity case because of a mistake, but it made me realise that not everyone gets to have the idealistic family Christmas as portrayed on TV.
‘I know what it’s like to be an outsider, that feeling really stayed with me and I know there are others who won’t get presents, perhaps because they’ve not got any family, and while I can’t help everyone, I can bring joy to an individual.’
Polly continued to explain her rules for her gift giving project, saying: ‘A lot of people donate to children’s charities at this time of year, but vulnerable adults aren’t as well catered for, so I decided to do something for them.
‘I do it all myself and I do it anonymously so no one feels beholden to me because it’s not about me.
‘I budget all year and I have some basic rules. For instance, I always want the gifts to be nice and I always buy branded products that people will recognise so they know it’s not a cheap thing given out of pity.’
She added: ‘There’s no pity at all, I just want people to know someone cares.’
12 Days of Kindness
You’re reading 12 Days Of Kindness, Metro.co.uk’s series celebrating the people going above and beyond to help others. From grassroots projects to individual acts of selflessness, follow each day as we name our Christmas community heroes.
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This is so heartwarming.