Happy Handbag is a charitable cause, created in 2016 in the West Country. Its goal is to support women and families in need.
I receive donations of handbags which I fill with toiletries, becoming a Happy Handbag.
No ‘conditions’ are attached to the distributing of Happy Handbags, other than they are distributed through Service Providers supporting women. Nelson Trust Centres – currently Gloucester, Swindon and Bristol, occasionally Bridgwater and Newport, are the main distributors of the bags.
My first contact with Nelson Trust was about 8 years ago with Christina Line. Chris was at the Swindon Centre, she had heard about Happy Handbag and asked if they could have the bags to distribute to their clients. Happy Handbag scheme also includes ‘Happys’, bags of clothing (including underwear), bedding etc.
To Date, The Nelson Trust have received 3080 Happy Handbags and 1435 Happys’. Donations to Happy Handbag come mainly from local women’s groups such as Women’s Institute’s, following talks I give (I am listed with the Gloucestershire W.I. as a speaker).
In 2023 I was listed in the 2023 Kings Birthday Honours List with a BEM (British Empire Medal) ‘Happy Handbag – For charitable services to Disadvantaged People in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Swindon’; also receiving a ‘Points of Light’ certificate from the then PM Rishi Sunak.
You can find out more about Happy Handbag here: www.happyhandbag.co.uk
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081191814391
(Happy Handbag)
