Looking for some activities to do at home this winter to ease the boredom? The Oaks has created this activity pack which includes a sourdough recipe, steps to complete a DIY facial at home, gardening tips and a scavenger hunt for the kids.
Christmas doesn’t have to cost the earth. With a little effort and imagination, we can all reduce our environmental impact this festive season!
To give you a little helping hand, we’ve put together some top tips to make your Christmas more thoughtful than ever!
By shopping close to home you’re reducing your carbon footprint and walking and cycling have great health benefits! The Oaks has bike racks on site, making it easier for you to cycle to the centre and safely leave your bike.
An artificial tree used for 3 years has a lower carbon footprint than a real tree. So, look after your tree and it will look after the planet. If you are yet to buy yours, pop into Wilko, to pick out your perfect tree!
Plus, whilst you’re in Wilko, make the switch to LEDs to light up your tree! LED lights use an average of 75 per cent less energy and can last up to 25 times longer than traditional bulbs.
Look out for more eco-conscious gift solutions in our stores at The Oaks. At Boots and Superdrug you’ll find lots of eco-friendly brands in stock this Christmas such as Ecotools, BBC Earth, Full Circle Beauty and The Eden Project – with a full range of perfect gifts for everyone!
When you head to The Oaks to pick up your final bits for Christmas, don’t forget to take your re-usable bag to carry your shopping in. Or if you don’t have one, pick one up from Wilko!
Did you know not all gift wrap is recyclable? It takes 50,000 trees to make the 8,250 tonnes of paper used across the UK at Christmas time. But, don’t worry you can still gift gorgeously-wrapped presents using brown paper or opt for using recycled rolls instead. Plus avoid the use of sticky tape, instead opting for natural cord and raffia and finish your gifts off with a repurposed ribbon from last year et voilà!
Deck the halls with the great outdoors! If you’re like us and love a wreath to hang on your front door, why not forage for pinecones and holly leaves from winter walks? Then back at home use an Oasis wreath from Wilko to create your beautiful decoration!
Lidl have put together some great recipes to use up your leftover turkey. Check them out at https://www.lidl.co.uk/christmas/left-over-tips
When all the celebrations are over, don’t throw your cards in the bin, give them a new life as a gift tag or origami tree decoration for next year… Or why not show your gratitude for all the wonderful gifts received by turning them into thank you cards!
Wishing you a very happy and sustainable Christmas…
From The Oaks x
After several months, we’re sure the kids are eager to get back to school! With the new term upon us, our stores are stocked with uniform to stationary as well as packed lunch essentials to make sure you have everything set…
Wilko
Kids love stationary and what better place to go and get those pencil cases filled than Wilko! They have everything you’ll need from classroom essentials to making sure the kids take their lunch to school in style. We particularly love…
…this Bamboo Chrome Lunch Box that proves lunchboxes don’t have to be boring! With its stylish mint design and bright orange band, this is perfect for jazzing up the kid’s lunchware, plus it’s a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic.
Lidl
Head to Lidl to stock up with the kids packed lunch favourites. Plus, from the 6th August, Lidl is launching a ‘Back to School Start Smart’ range, with great value school uniform and stylish stationery, you can’t go wrong! We particularly love…
…these fun stationery packs, containing everything the kids will need to start the new term.
Superdrug
Superdrug has some great products to get the kids back to school ready. We particularly love…
…these water bottles, so you can make sure that the kids keep hydrated throughout their day. This comes in three vibrant colours so they definitely won’t forget to take it in their school bag!
Ever fancied giving something back and helping out in the community? Well, now is your chance! Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do and provides you with the chance to broaden your skills, meet new people and gain more confidence.
You could volunteer in the local library, mentor a young person or perhaps help maintain the local park. Whatever takes your fancy, you’ll find information below about how you can get involved and make a difference:
Do Something Good
Small or big, from community projects to helping your neighbours, get involved and do something good.
https://www.dosomethinggood.org.uk/
Ealing Volunteer Centre
Ealing Volunteer Centre promotes, supports and develops volunteering within the borough. Every year they support over 400 charities and community groups and enable over 2,000 people to volunteer in Ealing.
https://ealingcvs.org.uk/volunteering/
Acton Homeless Concern
Acton Homeless Concern are always in need of reliable volunteers. Roles that you could be helping with include serving meals, talking to clients, sorting clothing and handling deliveries.
http://actonhomelessconcern.org/what-you-can-do.html
Action West London
Action West London value their volunteers and are keen to recruit people who want to make a difference by helping disadvantaged young people and adults.
https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/org/action-west-london
FoodCycle East Acton
FoodCycle East Acton is at the Old Oak Community & Children’s Centre each week cooking tasty, community meals from surplus food. They have opportunities available for people to come along and cook, be a host to guests and collect the surplus food donations from local suppliers.
Interested in working at our friendly centre? We are dedicated to helping our stores find the best people out there, so that we can keep our standards high here at The Oaks. To see if there are any positions available, please see the links below to our stores’ career pages:
Lidl
https://careers.lidl.co.uk/
The Gym
https://www.thegymgroup.com/careers/
Wilko
https://wilko.jobs/
Superdrug
https://www.superdrug.jobs/
Iceland
https://icelandcareers.co.uk/
Boots
https://www.boots.jobs/
