Leave new pyjamas, Christmas jumpers and unused gifts at 10 drop-off points by 6 November. Bromley Brighter Beginnings helped over 700 children last year.
A Bromley charity that filled Christmas bags for more than 700 children last year has opened its 2026 appeal. Residents can leave new pyjamas, pre-loved Christmas jumpers and unused gifts at ten drop-off points until Friday 6 November.
Bromley Brighter Beginnings is a volunteer-run charity. Its Christmas for Every Child campaign sends a bag of gifts, clothes, books, toiletries and a family food voucher to local families in hardship. The council announced four new collection points at leisure centres this week, as the Mayor of Bromley added a donation of her own (Bromley Council, 16 October).
Where to drop off
The charity’s own list runs to ten places, all taking donations until 6 November unless marked (Bromley Brighter Beginnings).
| Drop-off point | Address | Takes |
|---|---|---|
| Bromley Civic Centre reception | Churchill Court, 2 Westmoreland Road, BR1 1AS | All items |
| The Pavilion (Mytime Active) | Kentish Way, BR1 3EF | All items |
| Primark Bromley, ground floor checkout | High Street, BR1 1HE | Pyjamas |
| Bromley United Reformed Church office | 20 Widmore Road, BR1 1RY | All items |
| The Oak pub | 206 Widmore Road, BR1 2RH | Pyjamas |
| The Walnuts (Mytime Active) | Lych Gate Road, Orpington, BR6 0TJ | All items |
| Crofton Halls (Mytime Active) | York Rise, Orpington, BR6 8PR | All items |
| Tesco Orpington, by customer services | 9 Augustus Lane, BR6 0NH | Pyjamas and teen gifts, until 20 October only |
| The Spa at Beckenham (Mytime Active) | 24 Beckenham Road, BR3 4PF | All items |
| Chislehurst Methodist Church | Prince Imperial Road, BR7 5LX | Pyjamas |
The leisure centre bins are staying put after the appeal. Steve May, chief executive of Mytime Active, which runs the centres, said they “will then remain in our reception areas throughout the year”, with what they collect changing to match the charity’s needs.
What the appeal needs
The council and the charity give the same priorities:
- New pyjamas for children aged 0 to 11, without Christmas designs
- Pre-loved children’s Christmas jumpers, any size from newborn to small adult
- New, unused gifts, including presents you were given and cannot use
- Purchases from the charity’s online Christmas shop
Jumpers must be clean and in good condition, with no bobbles, stains or pulled threads, so they can go straight to a family. Gifts must be new.
Giving money instead
The online Christmas shop works as a cash donation: you pay for an item, and the charity uses the money to buy it or something of similar value. Prices on 18 October include:
- £8 for a book, for any age band from 0 to 18
- £10 for pyjamas, or a gift set for an 11-plus
- £18 for a Lego set or a baby toy
- £30 to £100 for a supermarket voucher
- £100 to £400 to provide Christmas for a whole family
There is also a JustGiving page for any amount, linked from the shop.
How it works
The campaign started in 2016 and helped about 50 children that year, the charity says. In 2025 it reached more than 700 children and their families.
Volunteers pack every bag on one day. This year that is Sunday 22 November. The bags are delivered before December, so that children have an advent calendar to open on 1 December.
“This appeal is a prime example of the fantastic local charities we are lucky to have across Bromley,” said the Mayor, Councillor Christine Harris. The charity said Christmas is “often the time when the gap between what parents hope to give and what they can afford feels widest”.
Bromley Brighter Beginnings won the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest national award for voluntary groups (Bromley Council). It is a registered charity, number 1210626.
What it means for you
- To give goods, take them to one of the ten points above by Friday 6 November. Check the table first: Primark, The Oak, Tesco and Chislehurst Methodist Church take pyjamas only, and Tesco stops on 20 October.
- To give money, use the online shop or JustGiving.
- Schools, groups and businesses can run a collection or sponsor a gift category. The charity’s campaign page has the contact details.
- To help a family get a bag, the charity works through referrals, and its referrers page explains how to register.
The Mayor is also raising money this year for Madlani Cancer Support and the Dyslexia Association of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham (Mayor’s charity appeal).
Sources
- Bromley Council: New donation points for local charity’s Christmas appeal, 16 October 2026
- Bromley Brighter Beginnings: Christmas for Every Child and Christmas shop, read 18 October 2026
- Bromley Council: King’s Award for Voluntary Service
Frequently asked questions
Where can I drop off donations for Bromley Brighter Beginnings’ Christmas appeal?
At ten points across the borough until 6 November, including Bromley Civic Centre reception, The Pavilion, The Walnuts, Crofton Halls and The Spa at Beckenham leisure centres, Primark Bromley and Chislehurst Methodist Church. Some take pyjamas only.
What does the Christmas for Every Child appeal need?
New children’s pyjamas for ages 0 to 11 without Christmas designs, clean pre-loved children’s Christmas jumpers, and new unused gifts. The charity also runs an online Christmas shop where each item is a cash donation.
When is the deadline for donations?
Friday 6 November 2026 for the drop-off points. Tesco Orpington takes pyjamas and teen gifts only until 20 October.
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