Fair Ways launches Care Leavers Matter Appeal 2026

Community appeal aims to create 200 wellbeing hampers for care-experienced young people across Portsmouth and Southampton.

This National Care Leavers’ Month, Fair Ways is launching its annual Care Leavers Matter Appeal, bringing together businesses, community groups and local people to support care-experienced young people across Portsmouth and Southampton.

The appeal aims to create 200 festive-themed wellbeing hampers filled with practical essentials, comfort items, festive treats, gifts, vouchers and experiences.

Each hamper is intended to provide something thoughtful and useful while carrying an equally important message: you matter, and your community cares.

Building on a record year

In 2025, Fair Ways’ annual Care Leavers Appeal achieved its strongest result to date, with 180 backpacks filled with practical items and distributed to care leavers across Portsmouth through Portsmouth City Council. Local businesses, Fair Ways staff, members of the public and children and young people from Fair Ways schools all contributed to the campaign.

Support shouldn’t end when care ends

National Care Leavers’ Month provides an opportunity to recognise the experiences and achievements of care-experienced young people and consider the support available as they move into adulthood.

Whilst many young people continue to rely on family and wider support networks well beyond the age of 18, those networks may look very different for someone leaving the care system.

Local businesses invited to get involved

Fair Ways is inviting businesses across Portsmouth, Southampton and the wider Solent area to support the appeal including:

• Donating personal care and wellbeing products
• Providing practical essentials or comfort items
• Donating gift vouchers, discounts or memberships
• Providing tickets and experiences
• Making a financial contribution towards the hampers
• Introducing Fair Ways to suppliers or retailers that may be able to provide products at scale

Financial donations will be used to purchase items needed to complete the hampers.

Managing Director of Fair Ways, Gareth Webb said,

Supporting care leavers is something I care deeply about, and it has been fantastic to see this appeal keep growing year after year. The items themselves are important, but so if the message behind them. We want care-experienced young people to know that leaving care doesn’t mean their community stops caring about them.

How to support the Care Leavers Matter Appeal 2026

Businesses or organisations interested in donating products, vouchers, experiences or other support can contact: [email protected]

Individuals and organisations can also make a financial donation through the Care Leavers Matter Appeal 2026 fundraising page:

Fair Ways Community Benefit Society: Care Leavers Matter Appeal 2026

Together, let’s show care-experienced young people that support doesn’t end when care ends.