This Christmas, Northampton-based charity The Lewis Foundation is inviting local people and businesses to help spread festive cheer to adults receiving cancer treatment in hospital through two heartwarming campaigns: Delivering Happiness and the charity’s annual Christmas Hamper Appeal.
Running throughout November and into December, both initiatives will bring additional comfort and joy to individuals who are spending some of the festive season in hospital.
The inspiration for the Delivering Happiness campaign came directly from the community asking how they can help with gifts for patients. In previous years, the Northampton branch of Dunelm ran a large in-store gift collection for the charity, an initiative that, sadly, is unable to take place this year following the closure of the store due to fire. In response, the charity has launched this new community-led campaign to ensure patients still receive donated presents this Christmas.
As part of the Delivering Happiness campaign, people can visit one of The Lewis Foundation’s locations (The Link Café at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, The Elgar Centre Café or The Lewis Foundation Outlet Store in the Grosvenor Centre) to take a tag from the charity’s Christmas Giving Trees. Each tag lists a specific gift from The Lewis Foundation’s range of comfort packs, such as a Hot Drinks Pack, Book Pack, Blanket Pack or Comfort Pack, and supporters simply purchase the listed items and return them, unwrapped, in a gift bag to the same location.
These gifts will then be checked and distributed in early December to adults receiving cancer treatment in local hospitals.
The Lewis Foundation is also once again delivering its surprise Christmas hampers, now in their ninth year. Each hamper, costing £45, is packed with festive treats from Waitrose, including Christmas puddings, mince pies and Prosecco. Businesses and individuals can sponsor hampers, which will be hand-delivered as a surprise to patients on the wards in the run-up to Christmas, with sponsors able to include a personal message or business logo on the hamper tag.
Businesses and individuals who have already kindly sponsored hampers for 2025 are: Glazerite Limited, Hause of HR, Boey VA, Olde Cobbler, Home Instead Northampton, Luton Point, Borneo Martell Turner Coulston Solicitors, Bob – Pain Free Living, Paula Hancock, Joshua Thomas Media Ltd. and Quinton House School.
Lorraine Lewis, co-founder and CEO of The Lewis Foundation, said: “Christmas can be an especially tough time for people undergoing cancer treatment, which is why our campaigns are focused on delivering not only kindness but happiness too. Whether you’re choosing a gift from our Giving Trees or sponsoring a festive hamper, every act of generosity reminds patients that they’re not alone and that their community cares. Each year, we see the joy and relief these gifts bring; even these smallest of gestures can mean the world to someone.”
A past recipient of a hamper said: “Your beautiful Christmas hamper cheered both my husband and me at a very difficult time. The kindness of your charity and supporters means so much to families like ours.”
With the help of nearly fifty volunteers and hundreds of supporters, The Lewis Foundation hand-delivers around 2,000 gift packs every month to adult cancer patients, providing everything from toiletries and radios to comfort items and handwritten messages.
