Ailsa’s Aim

04/11/2026

A little heads-up: the shop will be closed tomorrow, Thursday 💚

We want to be honest with you: lately, the shop hasn’t been bringing in enough money to justify the time spent waiting for customers. So tomorrow, we’re locking the doors and spending some time working ON the charity instead of IN it.

There’s plenty behind the scenes that needs our attention, and this will give us a chance to get stuck in.

We will still be there, so if you urgently need us, or need to make a purchase, please knock and we’ll happily help.

Otherwise, Sara will have her music on, rearranging paperwork and building furniture. If you hear singing or the occasional disagreement with a flat-pack instruction booklet… you’ll know Sara is keeping busy 😂

Thank you for understanding and supporting Ailsa’s Aim 💚

04/11/2026

UPDATE: Niven has managed to squeeze even more into the van! 🚐💚

Just when we thought he was ready to leave for Kettering and Northampton, he’s found room for another 10 women’s essential care bags, 83 mini packs and 7 snack pots for Kettering General Hospital!

That takes Kettering’s delivery to:
• 43 snack pots
• 30 RADAR keys
• 20 Christmas gifts
• 22 essential care bags, including the additional 10 women’s bags
• 83 mini packs

Alongside today’s Northampton delivery and the RADAR keys being posted to Addenbrooke’s and Stoke Mandeville, that brings the cost of today’s support to £2,059.86 — before the wheelchair, postage and delivery costs.

Every item will be provided free to the people receiving it, thanks to your support.

Clearly, leaving a little space in the van was never an option! 😂💚

04/11/2026

We don’t share enough about what leaves our doors and makes its way to hospital wards… so that’s about to change! 💚

What’s on the books for today?

Niven is heading out on his first delivery round in a while, with Kettering and Northampton in his sights. It’s lovely to have him back delivering practical support to people who need it.

Here’s what’s leaving us today:

📮 Addenbrooke’s: 50 RADAR keys.
📮 Stoke Mandeville Hospital: 25 RADAR keys.
Both parcels are being posted to keep delivery costs down and make our charity funds go further.

🚐 Kettering General Hospital, across different wards:
• 36 snack pots
• 30 RADAR keys
• 20 Christmas gifts
• 12 essential care bags

🚐 Northampton General Hospital:
• 15 men’s bags
• 20 RADAR keys
• 17 mini packs
• 15 women’s bags
• 15 non-binary bags
• A wheelchair!

What does a day like this cost us? Each essential care bag costs £10.58, each RADAR key £5, each mini pack £5, each Christmas gift £7 and each snack pot £2.

That makes today’s support £1,525.06 before accounting for the wheelchair, postage or delivery costs. Everything is provided free to the people receiving it.

Behind every bag, key and pack is a person facing a difficult time. Someone who might have arrived at hospital unexpectedly, forgotten their essentials or be worrying about how to afford what they need. Your support helps us be there for them.

Our 2026 total now stands at 17,565 packs delivered — just 2,435 to go until we reach 20,000! 💚

To everyone who donates, volunteers, fundraises or helps us spread the word: this is what you make possible. Thank you.

03/11/2026

Forever grateful for any recognition for the work that we do, even more grateful when the nominations come from the public.

A huge thank you to Swansgate Shopping Centre for the donation of £200. We can use it to help so many people. 💚

🏆 Congratulations to our Swansgate Community Champion winner: Ailsa’s Aim! 💛

After being nominated and voted for by our wonderful Wellingborough community, local charity Ailsa’s Aim has taken the crown!

Founded following personal experience with a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy, Ailsa’s Aim provides essential practical care packs, wellbeing activities, RADAR keys, and respite breaks to cancer patients and families with babies in neonatal care.

Sara, founder of Ailsa’s Aim, shared:“We’re absolutely delighted to have been chosen, and so grateful to everyone who nominated and voted for Ailsa’s Aim. As a small charity, donations like this make a real difference, helping us provide essential items and a little comfort... Knowing our community is behind us means so much.”

A huge thank you to everyone in Wellingborough who took the time to vote and champion such a deserving local cause. Head over to Ailsa’s Aim to see more of the incredible comfort and care they bring to families going through difficult times.

03/11/2026

Could you save money on your household bills? 💡💚

We’re thrilled to be working in partnership with the lovely Val Adaway from Utility Warehouse, who can help you explore whether switching could get you a better deal.

Val is friendly, approachable and happy to talk through your options without any pressure — just a chance to see what might work for your household.

What’s more, Ailsa’s Aim is a Utility Warehouse connector, which means if you decide to take out a qualifying contract through our introduction, the charity can benefit too. Potential savings for you and support for the people we help — a win-win! 💚

If you’d like an introduction to Val, send us a message and we’ll put you in touch.

And a heartfelt thank you to Val and Rob for always supporting us, whatever we’re doing. Your kindness and encouragement mean so much, and we’re incredibly grateful to have you alongside us. 💚

03/11/2026

An update on our Hunstanton holiday home 💚🏡

Due to the huge demand for our caravan, we are now only accepting new bookings up to three months in advance.

All existing bookings for 2027 will be honoured. If you already have a confirmed stay, your booking remains in place.

We currently have some availability in November, December and January. If you’re a cancer patient or a family with a baby in neonatal care and would benefit from a break, please get in touch.

These stays are specifically for the people our charity supports, and proof of eligibility is required.

We have received a considerable number of enquiries from people simply looking for a free holiday. Please understand that responding takes time and resources away from supporting patients and families. If you do not meet the criteria or cannot provide proof, please do not apply. We will be unable to respond to enquiries that fall outside our service.

Our holiday home offers families precious time to rest, reconnect and make memories during an incredibly difficult period. Although eligible families stay free of charge, it costs Ailsa’s Aim approximately £1,000 every month to keep it running.

Could you help give a family that time together? Any donation, whatever the amount, helps us continue offering these breaks. 💚

Donate here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-GB/donation-form/gift-a-holiday-to-a-family-in-need

Thank you for helping us keep this support available for families who need it.

03/11/2026

Could your team turn £50 into a month of holidays for families who need a break? 💚

We’re proud to be a charity partner for the Franklins £50 Challenge 2027, and we need businesses to join us!

Franklins Solicitors gives your team £50, then you have three months to grow it. Run a bake sale, host a quiz or organise a team challenge — then reinvest what you raise into your next activity. How many times could you grow that original £50?

📅 23rd February–29th May 2027

Our aim is to fund free respite breaks at our holiday home in Hunstanton for cancer patients and families with babies in neonatal care.

£1,000 helps cover a month’s running costs, allowing us to offer up to four different families a holiday, with space for up to eight people per stay. That’s precious time to rest, reconnect and make memories together.

It’s a chance to have fun, bring colleagues together and show what your business can achieve for others.

Not For Profit People have already signed up to support us — could your team join them?

Register with Franklins using the link below and choose Ailsa’s Aim as your charity to support:

👉 https://www.franklins-sols.co.uk/about-us/csr/50-challenge/team/

Please share with a business that could make a difference! 💚

03/11/2026

A little collection pot with a BIG impact! 💚

We’ve counted the collection pot at our Olney hub and found an amazing £91.02! Thank you to everyone who has popped in their spare change — those coins really do add up.

With a potential 25% top-up through the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme, that could become approximately £113.78 — enough to fund 10 complete essential care bags, with something left towards the next one! That’s ten people receiving practical essentials, a little comfort and a reminder that someone cares. 💚

We’ll be honest, funds are incredibly low at the moment, and every donation matters. We have thousands of bags on order from hospitals, and our stock room is full to the brim with orders waiting to go. We’re hoping Niven can start deliveries tomorrow and get these much-needed supplies out to the patients and families waiting for them. 🚐

📸 Pictured: our rapidly shrinking stock room… or possibly a very ambitious game of Tetris! All boxes, nowhere to move, and if deliveries don’t start soon, we’ll have to send a search party in for Niven! 📦😂

Packing, funding, storing, loading, delivering… who said running a charity was stressful, huh?! 😅

But every box represents people we can help, and that’s what keeps us going.

If you’re visiting the hub, please keep showing our little collection pot some love. Pennies or pounds, it all helps us turn your kindness into practical support.

Thank you for being there for us, so we can be there for others. 💚

03/11/2026

Who else could do with a proper laugh at the moment?! 😂💚

Get your friends together for a Charity Comedy Night at Whitworths FC in Wellingborough! A great night of local comedy, raising money for TeamDaisy, with Ailsa’s Aim also receiving a donation for every ticket we sell through the link below. One night out helping two brilliant causes! 🙌

🎤 Headliner Ben Briggs, alongside Benny Shakes, Eden Voss and your Pete Teckman Comedy!
📅 Friday 13th November
⏰ 7.30pm
📍 Whitworths FC, London Road, Wellingborough, NN8 2DP
🎟️ £10 per ticket

Every ticket bought through our link will help us continue supporting cancer patients and families with babies in neonatal care. That’s a pretty good reason to swap the sofa for an evening of laughs!

Please don’t leave it to someone else to book — message your mates, make a night of it and grab your tickets today 👇

https://wegotickets.com/f/30080

Can’t come? Please share this post to help us spread the word. Let’s get those seats filled! 💚