Wealden Wish 2026

This Christmas, Wealden Funeral Services, with support from our sister brand Sussex Direct Cremation, is inviting our community to donate presents for local care-home residents who may not have family around at Christmas.

Wealden Wish is about more than the present itself. It is a way for neighbours, families, businesses and community groups to show residents that people beyond their care home are thinking of them.

Our 2026 appeal runs from Monday 2 November until 4.00pm on Friday 18 December, seven days before Christmas Day.

Why we do it

Christmas can bring back memories of people, places and family traditions. For someone living in a care home without family nearby, a gift from a person they have never met can be a thoughtful reminder that they are part of a wider, caring community.

As a local family business, we believe that looking after our community includes finding small, practical ways to bring people together. Wealden Wish gives anyone who would like to help a simple way to do so: choose a present, bring it to us and let us arrange the next steps.

We know that care-home teams put a great deal of thought and effort into Christmas, including activities, celebrations and presents. Wealden Wish adds a gift from outside the home, alongside everything those teams already provide. Its message is simple: our community is thinking of you.

How Wealden Wish works

1. Care homes tell us how many gifts would be helpful. We ask for the number of men's and women's presents needed, without requesting residents' names or personal information.
2. Our community donates new, unwrapped presents. Donors label each gift to indicate whether it is intended for a man, a woman or either.
3. We bring the gifts together, check them, sort them and wrap them. Gifts marked 'either' help us respond flexibly to the requests we receive.
4. We arrange delivery to participating care homes before Christmas. Care-home staff match the gifts to residents and decide how and when to give them.

Our aim is to provide a suitable present for each resident included in a participating home's request. The number of gifts we can supply depends on the donations received, so we will stay in touch with homes as the appeal progresses.

How you can help

Donate a thoughtful gift

Choose something new that an adult care-home resident might enjoy. A gift does not need to be expensive, and there is no minimum amount to spend.

Some ideas to get you started:

• Cosy socks or a scarf.
• A soft blanket.
• Puzzle books, notebooks and pens.
• Playing cards or a simple craft activity.
• Sealed toiletries or hand cream.

Please leave your gift unwrapped and clearly mark it 'man', 'woman' or 'either'. This helps us check and sort the donations before wrapping them for delivery. The care-home team will make the final decision about which gift is suitable for each resident.

To keep the appeal straightforward and help us provide suitable gifts, please do not donate food, drink, alcohol, medication, candles or reed diffusers.

Add a Christmas card

You are welcome to include a card with a friendly, general message, such as: 'Wishing you a very happy Christmas, from someone in your local community.' Please leave it unsealed so we can check it before including it with a gift. There is no need to address it to a named person.

Get your workplace or group involved

A few colleagues, friends or members of a club can make a lovely contribution together. You could invite people to bring in a gift, organise a small collection or display a Wealden Wish poster.

Please make sure all gifts reach us by the final deadline. If your group is planning a larger donation or would like to discuss becoming a collection point, contact us first so we can agree the arrangements. Only confirmed collection points will be advertised.

Help spread the word

Sharing our Facebook posts, telling a neighbour or displaying a poster can help us reach people who would like to take part. If buying a gift is not possible for you this year, helping others hear about the appeal is welcome too.

Where and when to bring your gifts

Wealden Funeral Services, 3 Browning Road, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 8DB

Drop-off hours: Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.00pm.

Final collection: Friday 18 December 2026 at 4.00pm.

Closing the collection seven days before Christmas gives us time to complete the checking, sorting and wrapping, and deliver the gifts to participating homes.

If you cannot visit during these hours, please contact us to discuss what may be possible before making a journey. Please do not leave gifts outside the office.

Information for care homes

If you support residents who may not have family around at Christmas and would welcome an extra gift from the local community, we would be pleased to hear from you.

Your team knows your residents best. We ask you to identify how many people could benefit, choose suitable gifts from those delivered and give them in a way that works for your home. Residents' names and individual circumstances remain with your team.

What we need from you

• Your care home's name and a staff contact, including telephone number and email address.
• The number of men's presents requested.
• The number of women's presents requested.
• Any general gift restrictions applying to your home, without residents' personal or medical details.
• Any preferred delivery days or times during the week beginning Monday 21 December.

Please return your request by Friday 20 November 2026. This gives us time to understand the requests and plan the appeal. If you hear about Wealden Wish after that date, please contact us and we will let you know whether we can still help.

Download and return the care-home form

Download the Wealden Wish 2026 Care Home Form using the link below. You can complete the PDF on screen and save it, or print it and complete it by hand.

Download the Wealden Wish 2026 Care Home Form (PDF)

Email your completed form to hello@wealden-funerals.uk, or return it to Wealden Funeral Services at 3 Browning Road, Heathfield, TN21 8DB. You can also call 01435 868844 to give us the numbers or discuss the appeal.

Please do not include residents' names, dates of birth, medical information or other personal details. We only need the gift numbers and your home's contact and delivery arrangements.

We will contact participating homes to confirm what we can provide and agree a convenient delivery time. Deliveries are planned for 21-24 December, subject to arrangements with each home. You do not need to arrange photographs or publicity to take part.

A few common questions

Do gifts need to be wrapped?

No. Please donate them unwrapped. We will check, sort and wrap them before delivery.

What does 'either' mean on a gift label?

It means you feel the gift could be suitable for either a man or a woman. This gives us more flexibility when putting together each home's allocation. Staff will match gifts to residents' interests and needs.

Do I choose a particular resident?

No. Your gift goes into the shared appeal and is allocated with help from participating care-home teams. This keeps residents' information private and helps us respond to the requests we receive.

Can a care home take part if it already gives residents presents?

Yes. Wealden Wish is an additional gesture from the local community. We recognise and value the Christmas celebrations and gifts already provided by care homes.

Can I bring a gift after 18 December?

Please bring donations by 4.00pm on Friday 18 December so we can prepare and deliver them before Christmas. If you have missed the deadline, contact us before bringing anything in; we cannot guarantee that late gifts can be included.

Thank you for being part of Wealden Wish

Whether you donate a gift, write a card, bring your workplace together or share the appeal, you are helping us send a thoughtful Christmas message to residents in our local care homes.

A small gift. A thoughtful message. A little Christmas kindness from all of us.

For questions about donating or taking part as a care home, telephone 01435 868844 or email hello@wealden-funerals.uk.