Smile Sleigh
Supporting Women & Children Impacted By Domestic Abuse.
Through the simple act of giving a gift, Smile Sleigh will bring joy to vulnerable families this Christmas.
A note from Sophie..
I know it's only Spring, but as we begin planning this year's campaign, I wanted to take a moment to say how truly grateful I am for everything you did to make last year's Smile Sleigh so wonderful.
We donated presents to women and children in seven refuges across Surrey and Hampshire, run by I Choose Freedom, The You Trust, Swan House, and Stop Domestic Abuse. We also gave gifts to the most vulnerable families supported by outreach teams at South West Surrey Domestic Abuse (SWSDA) and North Surrey Domestic Abuse (NSDAS).
Your gifts reached 93 children and 59 women living in refuge. Hundreds more gifts were allocated to families in greatest need — people who, despite living in their own homes, are subjected to crippling financial and emotional abuse, and who often cannot afford to buy their children anything for Christmas.
The total number of presents Smile Sleigh donated in 2025 was an incredible 2,717. That is an astounding achievement, and I don't underestimate the love and thought that each and every gift represents.
Thank you to everyone who gave a gift, donated via our JustGiving page, gave their time at the distribution day, baked a cake for fundraising, delivered gifts to a drop-off point, stored gifts for us, spread the word, came to our launch party, or was simply wonderful in their support of Smile Sleigh.
Given the nature of our work and the importance of client confidentiality and privacy, it isn't always possible to show you exactly where your gifts have gone. But I can promise you: every single one goes directly to a child or woman in need, and every one is so warmly received. To face Christmas without being able to give to your child must be unbearable. To be living in a refuge, having fled, brings immense challenges — and your generosity helps ease that, even a little.
Smile Sleigh has always wanted to do something simple and meaningful at Christmas: to give to those who might otherwise be forgotten. We value these women. We acknowledge the courage it takes to survive. Thank you all for helping us do that.
A huge thank you to all our supporters and our wonderful team of volunteers…
Our Launch Party @ Village Coworking
We recently had the privilege of holding our first Smile Sleigh Christmas launch at The Village Co-Working.
We are so grateful to all our supporters, volunteers and the charities who came along so we could raise a glass to everyone who makes Smile Sleigh so special. It was wonderful to celebrate the work we do to support women and children affected by domestic abuse.
Who we help
We help families in Surrey & Hampshire, who are affected by domestic abuse. We work directly with outreach services & refuges to distribute our donated gifts.
How we help
With the help of our amazing supporters, we collect & distribute donations & unwrapped* gifts. We are now taking donations for Christmas 2025.
*
Why we help
1 in 4 women experience domestic abuse during their lifetime. Our voluntary work create smiles during holiday times, which can be hard for affected families to navigate.
Since 2018 our estimated totals are….
10,000 +
Gifts
Raised
2000 +
Children
Reached
800 +
Women
Supported
*please note that we can only accept brand new, unwrapped gifts.
Thank you so much for your support.
