01. Donate
Bag Books has grown from a tiny charity in 1993 to a unique organisation that has transformed the lives of thousands of children and adults with complex learning disabilities across the UK. We wouldn’t be here without the generous support of individuals, companies, and trusts who believe in the power of inclusive storytelling. As we continue to expand our reach and develop new sensory stories, we need your help more than ever to keep making a difference.
MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION TODAY
Set up a monthly donation via direct debit or give a one-off gift via JustGiving:
GIFT AID
If you’re a UK taxpayer, your donation can go even further! We can reclaim 25p in tax on every £1 you give at no extra cost to you. Simply fill out our short Gift Aid form to make your donation go further.
What Will Your Donation Support?
Your generous donation will help us bring the joy of storytelling to people with complex learning disabilities, allowing them to experience stories in a way that’s tailored to their needs. Here's how your gift can make an impact:
£10 donation:
Helps provide sensory materials for one of our interactive books, enhancing the experience for people with profound disabilities.£50 donation:
Funds an hour-long multi-sensory storytelling session at a hospice or care home, bringing stories to life for those who need them most.£100 donation:
Supports the creation of a new sensory story, ensuring more individuals can enjoy inclusive storytelling.
Every contribution makes a difference, allowing us to continue our work and expand our reach to more people across the UK.
Other Ways to Donate
By Bank Transfer
Please contact us at office@bagbooks.org to receive our bank details for making a donation via bank transfer.
By Cheque
Please make cheques payable to Bag Books and post to:
Bag Books, 1 Stewarts Court, 218-220 Stewarts Road, London SW8 4UB
Be sure to include a note with your full name and address, so we can acknowledge your generous contribution.
Payroll Giving
Support Bag Books directly from your salary through the UK PAYE system with Payroll Giving. It’s easy to set up and offers tax benefits for employees, all while helping us continue our important work.
Click here for more info.
Legacy Gifts
A gift in your will can open up a lifetime of stories for those who need it most. By remembering Bag Books, you’ll help future generations of children and adults with learning disabilities discover joy, connection, and creativity through our multi-sensory books and storytelling sessions.
If you would like to find out more about leaving a legacy of storytelling, please get in touch — we would be honoured to hear from you.
Every contribution helps us bring the magic of storytelling to children and adults with complex learning disabilities. Thank you for helping us make a lasting difference.
02. Fundraise
Turn your time, talent or energy into something truly magical.
Whether you’re running a marathon, baking cakes, or hosting a quiz night, fundraising for Bag Books is a fantastic way to support our work and help bring multi-sensory stories to life for children and adults with complex learning disabilities.
Take on a Challenge
Thinking about a sponsored event? From fun runs and treks to swims and cycle rides, there are exciting challenges taking place across the UK all year round — and we’d love you to take one on for Bag Books.
Setting up a fundraising page is quick and easy viaJustGiving, so friends and family can sponsor you in just a few clicks.
Organise Your Own Event
Prefer to plan something yourself? Whether it’s at home, at work, or in your community, there are endless ways to get involved. Popular ideas include:
Coffee morning or afternoon tea
Cake sale
Quiz night
Sponsored walk, cycle or silence
Car boot sale
Themed evening – like an 80s disco or murder mystery
Community concert or performance
Big or small, every event makes a difference and helps more people experience stories in a truly accessible and inclusive way.
We're Here to Help
Whether you're running, cycling, swimming, skydiving, baking, shaving your head, or coming up with something entirely new — we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Click here to set up your JustGiving page
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your idea, we’d love to hear from you.
Email: fundraising@bagbooks.org.uk | Phone: 020 7627 0444
Corporate Fundraising: Partner With Us to Make a Difference
Bag Books is proud to work with companies whose support helps bring the magic of multi-sensory storytelling to children and adults with profound learning disabilities. Corporate giving plays a vital role in funding key projects — from our Build-a-Book programme to outreach visits in children’s hospices.
Why Choose Bag Books as Your Charity Partner?
National reach, local impact – We’re a UK-wide charity delivering hands-on, practical projects.
Tangible difference – As a small charity, your support creates visible, immediate impact.
Clear reporting – We provide detailed feedback and case studies showing how your support makes a difference.
Creative collaboration – We love involving our partners, whether that’s through book-making sessions, bespoke events, or volunteering opportunities.
Ways Your Company Can Get Involved
Make a corporate donation
Organise staff fundraising activities
Sponsor the creation of a multi-sensory book
Join our Payroll Giving scheme
Offer gifts in kind
Take part in a corporate volunteering day (see the Volunteering section for more)
We’ll work with you to create a partnership that inspires your team, aligns with your values, and supports our vital work.
To find out more about corporate fundraising or partnership opportunities, please contact Lucy Barrett, Chief Executive: lucy@bagbooks.org
03. Volunteer
Every Bag Book is handmade with care, taking around 10 hours to craft from start to finish. Volunteers are a vital part of our team, generously giving their time, skills, and energy to help create our unique multi-sensory books. From knitting and sewing to painting and drilling, volunteers contribute around a third of all the craft hours needed — a crucial contribution that helps keep production costs down and allows more stories to reach those who need them most.
Whether you're an experienced craftsperson or simply keen to lend a hand, we’d love to hear from you!
Get Creative from Home
Our brilliant home-based/remote volunteers help craft items like knitted ice cream cones (A Day at the Seaside) and wooden pirate chests (A Pirate Adventure), creating the sensory magic that makes our books so special.
If you love sewing, knitting, woodworking, or just getting creative, we’d love to have you on board – it’s perfect for individuals, craft clubs, and anyone with a passion for making.
If you’re interested in learning more about our remote volunteering opportunities, please email Sophie Baker, Workshop Manager, at sophie@bagbooks.org.
In-House Volunteers
Step into the heart of Bag Books at our vibrant London workshop, where every story begins. Volunteers work alongside our skilled craft team to cut, sew, paint, and assemble the sensory elements that make our books so magical.
We’re always looking for new volunteers to join us. We’ll cover your travel expenses, keep you topped up with hot drinks, and make sure there’s no shortage of biscuits!
If you’re interested in joining our friendly team, please email Sophie Baker, Workshop Manager, at sophie@bagbooks.org - we’d love to hear from you.
Corporate Volunteering
Looking for a memorable, meaningful way for your team to make a difference?
At Bag Books, we offer hands-on volunteering days where corporate teams help create the sensory magic that brings our multi-sensory stories to life.
Your team will work alongside our skilled craft team in our London workshop – cutting, sewing, painting, and assembling the components that go into our unique books for children and adults with complex learning disabilities. No specialist skills are needed – just enthusiasm and a willingness to get stuck in!
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Yes, there is a contribution per participant to help cover materials and support our storytelling projects. We'll provide full details when you get in touch.
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In most cases, yes. Half-day sessions are available depending on our schedule — just let us know what works best for your team when you enquire.
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Our Battersea workshop can host up to twelve participants per session. For larger groups, we also offer away days at London-based offices — get in touch to discuss options.
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You'll be hands-on helping to create the handcrafted components for our sensory books — from painting and sewing to assembling tactile story props. We'll guide you every step of the way.
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Not at all! Whether you’re a natural with a paintbrush or just enthusiastic to try something new, we’ll match activities to your team's skills and make sure everyone can get involved.
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Yes — if you'd like to build in a short team meeting or session at the start or end of your volunteering day, we’re happy to accommodate this with advance notice.
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Yes — we’ll keep you fuelled with plenty of tea, coffee, and biscuits throughout the day. For full-day sessions, we recommend bringing lunch, but we can suggest some great local options too.
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Simply email Sophie Baker, Workshop Manager, at sophie@bagbooks.org and we’ll take it from there.
THINKING OF VOLUNTEERING WITH YOUR TEAM? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
We welcome teams of up to twelve people at our Battersea workshop, and can also arrange away days for larger groups at London-based offices.
Recent teams from HSBC Private Bank, Standard Chartered, Salesforce, Network Rail, and Innocent Smoothies have all joined us – enjoying a rewarding, creative experience while helping make a real impact.
By getting involved, your team won’t just be volunteering –you'll be helping to open up the world of storytelling to those who are often excluded.
Recycle. Create. Inspire – Help Us Create Sensory Magic
At Bag Books, we love giving new life to old materials — and reducing our environmental impact along the way. Our multi-sensory books are filled with carefully chosen recycled items, from seashells and vinyl records to scrap wood and metal keys, all adding to the rich textures and experiences we create for our readers.
Right now, we’re looking for donations of magazines to use in our storytelling props – if you can help, we’d love to hear from you!
We also regularly update our materials wish list, so please check back for new ways to get involved.
If you’d like to support us in other ways, a small donation helps cover the cost of materials and keeps our workshop buzzing with creativity. To find out how you can help, please email fundraising@bagbooks.org.
We’re incredibly grateful to the companies who have donated items to our books over the years, including:
BatteryStation.co.uk – Donated batteries
The Aroma Company – Donated smells
London City Locks – Donated old keys
Thank you for being part of the Bag Books story!
“It’s a great atmosphere in the workshop. We laugh, we joke, we talk about kinds of things. But also at the end of it you’re doing something that has real meaning and makes a real difference.”
Helen, Volunteer