Every year Gloucester City Mission spends roughly £6,000 purchasing underwear that is distributed to rough sleepers in Gloucester or through the Restore Clothes Bank.

Being the one clothing item that cannot be donated second-hand, the charity relies on the generosity of members of the public at Christmas to purchase and donate brand-new underwear for those in need, and as many as 550 pairs of boxers and briefs were donated in 2023.

The charity is specifically requesting:

• Men's boxer shorts, sizes medium & large
• Women's briefs, sizes small & medium

The donation cabinet for the Undies Under The Christmas Tree campaign is located outside Revive Coffee House in the Eastgate Shopping Centre and will remain there until Saturday, January 4.

Louise MacKenzie, general manager at Gloucester City Mission, said: "Last year, members of the public were incredibly generous and donated hundreds of pairs of undies that went to those truly in need, and we hope that people will again come together to do something special for those they don't know this year.

"Nights are longer, days are getting colder, and this one small donation makes a big difference to people who rely on the generosity of others at their time of need.

"We thank everyone who has ever donated, will donate or even just shares our message. This may seem a small gift, but to our street family it is huge, we should ALL be treated with dignity and respect."

Jason Robinson, senior destination manager of the Eastgate Shopping Centre, added: "The Undies under the Christmas tree campaign is a fantastic charitable cause and one we're only too happy to get behind once again.

"For those who venture into town and would love to get involved, there are many shops in the city that offer affordable underwear, including Primark, H&M and Marks & Spencer, and it really will help make someone's day."