Sponsorship
When a business sponsors its first pack
One Dumfries & Galloway employer went from “we should do something” to a named pack sponsorship—and found it easier to explain than a generic charity donation.
Read storySHAX fundraising
Your support turns an empty house into a home
Welcome to SHAX fundraising—supporting starter packs, reuse, and local sponsorship from Merrick House, Dumfries.
Give as an individual by phone or visit, sponsor as a business, or drop off essentials—your support stays in Dumfries & Galloway. UK taxpayers can usually add Gift Aid in the same conversation.
Ways to support ↓See local impact →
SC042940 · Gift Aid available when you call or visit
Ways to support
Choose how to stand with SHAX
A typical starter pack costs £280+ and is always free to the household who receives it. Most people start with a call or visit; businesses and workplaces can explore sponsorship and bins too.
- 01Give as an individualOne-off or regular gifts by phone or visit—no business account needed. We’ll help with Gift Aid if you’re a UK taxpayer.Give by phone or visit
- 02Business sponsorshipFrom £250—supporters wall at Merrick House, your name on this site’s wall, and social thanks.View sponsorship tiers
- 03Donation binsDrop off starter-pack essentials locally—or ask about hosting a SHAX bin at your business.Get in touch
The pack journey
How a gift becomes a home
One pathway from your support to a front door in Dumfries & Galloway—the same local team, every time a starter pack is needed.
It starts with you
You give
Phone, visit, or Gift Aid in one chat
Call or visit Merrick House—one-off, regular, or the cost of a full pack. Every pound stays in Dumfries & Galloway.
Local impact
Real results across Dumfries & Galloway
Every gift on this site supports frontline starter packs and reuse work in the community.
Reporting year 2025/26
487
Individuals supported
132
Children supported
232
Tonnes diverted from landfill
224
Volunteer placements
Help the next family across the threshold
Businesses sponsor packs from £280+. Individuals can call to give; UK taxpayers can often add Gift Aid in the same call.
Why local helps
Giving here reaches the doorstep
SHAX assembles Emergency Home Starter Packs at Merrick House and works with partners across Dumfries & Galloway you may already know. When you give locally, that help stays close to home.
Money stays in Dumfries & Galloway
When you give locally, your support pays for packs and stock here in Dumfries & Galloway—help that neighbours and partner agencies can see and trust.
Reuse feeds the pack shelf
Shop sales and warehouse reuse keep homeware circulating locally and smooth pack budgets. When Saturday is busy in the Dumfries shop, there is more headroom for kettles and bedding bought new.
Trusted referrals, free to clients
Partner agencies submit referrals when keys change hands. Starter packs go out at no charge. Your gift covers what would otherwise be an impossible shopping list in week one.
Visible for local businesses
Sponsorship lets your organisation stand alongside work people already know in the community—starter packs, reuse, and practical support with a local face.
Charity shop
See the Dumfries charity shop
Our reuse shop keeps good furniture and essentials affordable for local people, and every sale helps fund Emergency Home Starter Packs when families need them most.
- Reuse with purposeGood furniture and essentials stay affordable for local people.
- Every sale helpsShop income helps fund Emergency Home Starter Packs.
- Volunteer welcomeMeet the team and see how donations are sorted and sold.
Visit shax.org.uk
Opening times, donations, and volunteering
Charity shop video
Loads when you scroll here
Real stories
The human side of every donation
Behind each starter pack is a person starting again, with dignity, support, and hope.
“When I moved into my flat I had nothing, no pans, no bedding, nothing to make it feel like mine. The starter pack from SHAX meant I could actually start living, not just surviving.”
Latest news & stories
From the shop floor and the warehouse
Starter packs, reuse, referrals, and sponsorship—written for Dumfries & Galloway. Names withheld where needed.
CommunityFinding your feet on placement
Structured volunteering at SHAX can be a bridge—routine, skills, and belonging—while the charity gains careful, supervised help.
Read story
PartnersSubmitting a partner referral
From the partner side: a referral through the system is often the last task on a frantic move-in list—and only works if the pack is really free and really ready.
Read story
Reuse & recyclingA Saturday in the reuse shop
Shop days are part market, part mission—customers leave with furniture, and the charity gains income that backstops free starter packs.
Read story
For individuals & families
Give in your own name
You do not need a business to support SHAX. Many neighbours give by phone or with a quick visit to Merrick House—once, regularly, or when you can. A full pack is about £280+ and stays free to every household referred by partner agencies.
- Speak to our team about any amount—from a few pounds toward hygiene stock to a full starter pack.
- Gift Aid adds 25p for every £1 at no extra cost when you’re an eligible UK taxpayer.
- Prefer items to cash? Use community donation bins or bring goods to the warehouse.
Sponsoring as a business? See sponsorship tiers if you are giving on behalf of an organisation.
For businesses
Sponsor packs. Show local leadership.
When referrals spike, sponsorship keeps packs on the shelf at Merrick House. Tiers start at £250—recognition is straightforward (Merrick House wall, supporters wall here, social thanks). Full benefits and pricing are on the sponsorship page.
From £250
Community Friend
Merrick House wall + your name on the supporters wall here.
From £500
Starter Pack Partner
Funds a full pack plus logo recognition on the website.
From £1500
Dignity Champion
Leadership funding with a featured spot on /supporters.
Referrals from professionals who know when a tenancy needs more than keys.
Referral network
Trusted by professionals across Dumfries & Galloway
SHAX works with agencies and organisations across the region. Partner agencies submit referrals through the referral system when someone needs a free Emergency Home Starter Pack.
- Partner agencies submit referrals when someone moves in without the basics.
- Starter packs stay free to clients, funded by giving on this site.
- Your donation strengthens the same referral pathway.
Housing & social services
- Wheatley Homes South
- Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership
- Adult Care Social Work, Loreburn Housing
- Children and Families Social Work
- Leaving Care — Dumfries and Galloway Council
- Irvine Housing & Women's Aid
- Hanover Housing Association
Health & specialist support
- NHS Occupational Therapy
- Support in Mind Scotland
- Turning Point Scotland
- ILS (Independent Living Support)
- NHS Specialist Drug and Alcohol Service
- Public Health Improvement Team — NHS
- Adult Services — Social Work Annan
Community organisations
- Social Services — Dumfries and Galloway Council
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Kate's Kitchen — Annan
- Dumfries and Galloway Befriending Project
- Bethany Christian Trust
- Cunningham Housing Association
- APEX & ADS (Addiction Rehabilitation)
…and many more agencies working together to support vulnerable individuals and families. Full list on shax.org.uk starter packs.
For organisations
Stand with families alongside our referral partners
Sponsorship helps SHAX respond when urgent partner referrals land.
Common questions
Quick answers before you give
Giving by phone, Gift Aid, sponsorship, and where your money goes. Our Dumfries team is here to help—no question is too small.
- Call 01387 245358. We’ll talk you through your gift and Gift Aid if you’re eligible.
- Gift Aid can add 25p per £1 at no extra cost to UK taxpayers.
The easiest way is to call us on 01387 245358 or visit Merrick House. We’ll talk you through your gift, answer any questions, and add Gift Aid if you’re an eligible UK taxpayer.
Registered Scottish charity SC042940. Verify on OSCR
Trust & transparency
Give with confidence
Registered, accountable, and rooted in Dumfries & Galloway. Here is how we look after your support.
Registered charity
Scottish charity SC042940. Your gift supports families across Dumfries and Galloway.
Public register
Check our details on the OSCR register.
Gift Aid
UK taxpayers can add Gift Aid when they give by phone or in person. It can mean an extra 25p per £1 at no cost to you.
Speak with the team
Giving is personal—you’ll talk to people who know the packs and the shop. Call 01387 245358 or visit Merrick House when it suits you.
Stand with families in Dumfries & Galloway
Sponsor as a business or call the team to give. A full pack costs about £280+, and stays free to every client.