Winter Sock Appeal
Box of Socks
boxofsocks.co.uk
Let’s join together to help those less fortunate this winter
with a brand-new pair of warm & cosy socks
Donate a brand-new pair of socksAll socks donated to Stonepillow
What it is
One box. One pair at a time.
Box of Socks is a winter appeal that collects brand-new socks for people who are homeless. Each school taking part puts out a Box of Socks. Pupils, families and staff drop in a new pair, and when the boxes are full every pair goes to Stonepillow, the homelessness charity.
It was started by Elsie Valentine Helyer when she was at Boundary Oak School. The idea came from meeting homeless people on the coldest winter days and spending her pocket money buying them a hot coffee, then making sandwiches for them every Saturday. To help them keep warm, she asked her school to collect the one thing every child could afford to give: new socks. What began as one box has now collected more than 1,000 pairs, and this winter six schools across Hampshire are joining in.
It’s a simple idea. Socks are cheap to buy and easy to give, and for someone sleeping outside a dry, warm pair matters a great deal.
ISA Maxwell Prize 2026
Second place for Elsie
Elsie’s work on Box of Socks was recognised with second place in the 2026 ISA Maxwell Prize, a national award for Year 6 pupils that celebrates a holistic approach to school and community life.
Find out more
Everything about the appeal
Elsie’s story
How one pupil’s idea became a box at six schools and more than 1,000 pairs of socks.
Read her story →How to give
What to buy, where to take it, and answers to the questions people ask most.
Start giving →The schools
Find a box near you, or find out how to bring Box of Socks to your own school.
See the schools →Stonepillow
Who receives the socks, and why new socks make such a difference.
Meet the charity →