Miraculous provision

We believe people who have nothing should receive the very best that we can give, so that’s why we only accept items that are new or in very good condition. Just as a gift makes us feel special, we want to build up those who receive what is given via The Besom. So they feel blessed by the process, we only pass on the best to those who have little or no choice. This affords dignity and value to those who receive it, particularly when we can give them a choice for their home.

The Besom can accept most household items that you need to start a home – from a spoon to a sofa! We trust if God wants you to give it then we will find a home for it. Every ‘matched’ gift is an answered prayer as the team prays weekly for the recipients referred to us. It gives us opportunities to share how God knows, cares and is involved for each person when it is delivered and becomes a blessing and a tangible witness to His provision. How wonderful that He can use you and your generosity to be someone elses’ answered prayer!

How do I start to give?

1) Consider any surplus items you may have in your home. Could they bless someone else who has nothing? If something comes to mind, then we would love to receive them.

2) Consider whether God is asking you to give more sacrificially or generously than just passing on your used or surplus goods. For someone in need to receive brand-new items that you, or your housegroup/youth group purchase when you don’t know or meet them, has a wonderful and powerful impact.

We have limited storage so aim to pass items on almost instantly to people who need them. Therefore we may ask you to hold onto some items until we can match them to the correct recipient. Our van team makes weekly collections (free) around the Borough, or you can arrange to drop things off to us.

Collection and Drop Off

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Giving guidelines

To enable us to match your offer to the referred needs on our waiting lists, sometimes we ask you to provide photographs and measurements first. All items should be freshly cleaned and in working order, as we often take them straight from your home to the recipient’s home on the same day as collection.

Fire Safety Tags

Sofas and other soft furnishings such as mattresses must have a Fire Safety compliance tag on them and be clean and stain-free.

Electrical Goods

We can accept small electrical appliances and TVs. Electrical items must be less than 5 years old and in good working order. TVs must be digitally compatible and have SCART and HDMI sockets.

We receive a huge amount of referrals for White Goods in Elmbridge but sadly cannot accept White Goods (washing machines, fridges, cookers etc) any longer due to our insurance policy. To know families are struggling without hot meals or doing the weekly washing is hard. Instead, please consider supporting our White Goods Fund so we can purchase new white goods on your behalf to bless others with the things that we take for granted in our own home.

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Sometimes we say No!

Our mission is to help Christians express love and generosity through their giving, just as God gave His only son, Jesus to us as a sacrifice and lavishly demonstrated His love for us. We are not here to help dispose of or pass on anything that is no longer wanted in your own home – other local charities do that such as Elmbridge CAN, Kingston Community Furniture and Princess Alice Hospice. So sometimes we may say, “No thank you!” if the item you wish to gift through us is well-loved, well-worn or simply old. We are not trying to be awkward in turning it down. Whilst it might have a little ‘life’ left in it or up-cycling potential we don’t have upcycling skills readily available. Nor do we want those we help to find a few months further down the line the item needs costly repair or breaks down and needs replacing again.

On collection, the van team has the discretion to decline offered goods if these guidelines are not followed.

Starter Packs

Another way to Give, as an individual or a Group is to create Starter Packs.Our Starter Packs are given to people who have just moved into a property and have nothing, or the financial resources to purchase what they need.

Our Starter Packs are given to people who have just moved into a property and have nothing, or the financial resources to purchase what they need. We are asked for approximately 4 - 6 Kitchen Packs each month. We are often asked for other household essentials to set up home such as Cleaning packs and Linen/bedding bales.
“Welcome to your new home”
The packs are the first point of contact the recipient has with Besom and we love it when they are presented as a beautiful gift from you. A Besom pack is not just providing practical items, we want them to make the recipient feel special. They act as a sign of blessing demonstrating the love and kindness of a stranger and bring encouragement and hope. Often providing these simple basics enables a single person or family to at least eat together in their new home as we seek to provide their other furniture needs.
The Pack lists contain typical items we get requested, but is not meant to be prescriptive. Be imaginative, what would you like to have around you to feel ‘at home’? They can be a combination of brand-new and lightly used items. Why not pray for the person or family you are making it for and ask God to direct you in what you put into it?
Laundry baskets, washing-up bowls etc are a great way to present a pack. For kitchen starter packs, we often use cardboard ‘banana’ boxes collected from supermarkets. It is lovely to receive brand new bedding and towels, but if they are lightly-used they should be laundered, pressed and neatly folded as sets (if put in cellophane packets they can remain neat and clean until delivered).
To find out how you, or a group at your church, can get started on creating Starter Packs, please get in touch with us first at the office info@besominesher.com so that your giving can be directed to a particular client’s needs.
Churches can also act as a collection hub for their congregations to add in items and then these can be compiled into complete Packs on a monthly basis and dropped off to us.
Download Starter Pack instructions