About Us
Founded in 2024, Gifts of Love for Young People was created in response to a growing need to support young people with everyday essentials.
Monica’s journey began in schools, where she saw first-hand how many vulnerable students from financially struggling families were going without the support they needed. Drawing on her experience as a safeguarding support officer and community youth worker, she began providing small but meaningful items such as learning materials, revision cards, food vouchers, and school equipment.
Patsy’s journey began in 2003 as a childminder, before going on to become a foster carer, outreach worker, and nursery manager. Over the course of three decades, she supported more than 10,000 families, bringing care, compassion, and understanding to the lives of so many children and parents. Patsy sadly passed away in January 2025, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of kindness, service, and love.
During the pandemic, Monica and Patsy came together to respond to the growing needs in their community. They started by providing hot cooked meals to elderly residents and vulnerable families, helping people through an especially difficult time.
Through this work, they saw how many young people were living without access to basic toiletries — something many of us take for granted. They understood that this was about far more than hygiene alone. A lack of essential items can affect a young person’s confidence, dignity, wellbeing, and ability to thrive.
Personal hygiene plays an important role in both physical and mental health. Daily routines can help build self-esteem, create a sense of stability, and support young people to feel ready for school, for social situations, and for everyday life.
Believing that every child deserves access to life’s essentials, Monica and Patsy founded Gifts of Love for Young People. Although Patsy passed away in January 2025, her compassion, dedication, and belief in helping others continue to live on through the charity’s work supporting young people and their families with vital hygiene and sanitary products.
At its heart, Gifts of Love is about restoring dignity, building confidence, and creating brighter futures for young people.
