Advent of Change 2019

Shivia is supported by Advent of Change for the second-year running

We are delighted to announce that we have joined Advent of Change for a second-year running, as part of a unique charity advent calendar for Christmas 2019.

Last year the celebrity-endorsed social enterprise Advent of Change launched the first-of-its-kind charity advent calendar, which supported 24 charities, including Shivia. By the end of 2018, the movement had raised £100,000 for the charities, and even received an award from the Prime Minister in recognition of outstanding contribution to charitable causes.

This year the calendar is returning, alongside four brand new products, including the UK’s first Braille advent calendar, created in collaboration with the RNIB .

Each day of this alternative advent calendar represents a 50p donation and describes how that gift could be used, giving the recipient a ‘feel-good feeling’ when seeing exactly how they’ve helped – from clearing plastic from UK shores, to offering shelter to a homeless person, and even helping to provide life-changing medicine for a sick child.  And in our case, helping to provide one of our income-generating poultry toolkits to a family living in poverty in India.

Shivia is featured in the £16,95 Advent Calendar, pictured here on the far left. Want to buy one? Just click on the image to buy online.

Turning Christmas consumerism upside down

Advent of Change started with one person, and a little idea: to take a product built to receive and reverse its purpose to give instead – an idea that quickly captured the imagination of many others.

The innovative social enterprise caught the attention of John Lewis & Partners, who this year will again be stocking the calendar in stores throughout the country and online. Dan Cooper, Partner and Head Christmas Buyer at John Lewis & Partners, said:

“In my role, I get to see some really interesting and exciting new products, but the Advent of Change advent calendar really stood out to me as an incredibly innovative way of giving back during the festive season.”

Advent of Change has also secured a number of exciting endorsements from household names such as Sir Richard Branson, Joanna Lumley OBE, Greg James, and Lawrence Dallaglio OBE.

This year, the Founder, 27-year-old Kristina Salceanu, hopes to more than double the amount raised last year, and help a total of 72 charities. She said:

Kristina pictured here with Holly Branson at the Advent of Change 2019 launch event

Open up to change this year

The Advert Calendar is available to buy online via the Advent of Change website and John Lewis & Partners, plus John Lewis and Waitrose stores across the country. The calendar costs £16.95, with over 80% of the sale price of this product going directly to charity. Every calendar sold means a 50p donation to Shivia and 23 other deserving charities.

Why buy any other advent calendar this Christmas?

Kristina speaking at the Advent of Change launch event for supported charities

Victoria and Olly at the launch