Magpie Poverty and Trauma Support 

Magpie is a social enterprise-based project being delivered by Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action, running since 1999. Magpie, formerly known as The Boxroom has two distinct social purposes:  

• To support the Net Zero agenda, by diverting goods from landfill and selling them through our shop, whilst promoting the importance of a reduce, reuse, recycle culture.  
  
  
• To support families in crisis by donating goods which will enable them to set up a new home. This might include families facing financial crisis, or women and children fleeing from domestic violence. We have referrals from Grampian Women's Aid, Osprey Housing, Aberdeenshire Council Housing and Social Work, Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership, Grampian Housing Association, Salvation Army, and others. For the last year to date we have supported 20 families, delivering 144 items. We are also now working in partnership with Aberdeenshire South Food Bank, providing emergency parcels to those we have had referrals for. So far, in the last month, we have provided 5 food parcels.  

Volunteer Support

Magpie also works closely with criminal justice supporting community payback volunteers,  supported 4 individuals in the last 12 months.  In addition, we recentley started to work with Banchory Academy by providing volunteer sessions for pupils along with their support teacher, somewhere to come and help for a period throughout the school day.  

Community Support

With the cost-of-living crisis, we do envisage the demand for our charity growing, and we hope to continue to gift more items to families and will continue to sell low-cost goods in our shops. 

Magpies' goal is to provide support to the community and give people dignity when they are going through a challenging time.