Latest shipping update - Christmas 2024

This was prompted by my gorgeous nephew Kai. Kai is 17 months old and has spent a lot of time under the care of Evelina Children's Hospital as an inpatient. Having been a regular visitor at the hospital, it's clear to see the fantastic, innovative work that this hospital does, pioneering new technology and treating babies / children across a wide variety of conditions.

Medecins sans frontieres do incredible work providing life-saving medical care in crisis zones. And unfortunately there are so many needs around the world right now - they operate in places like Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine & Afghanistan, working in very difficult and often dangerous situations.

My Slovakian friend, Michaela Ruby is working closely with an amazing Slovakian charity ADRA which is based at the border helping with emergency medial aid purchases and transport to Ukraine. Apothaka, together with Luneia Skincare donated a proportion of sales from a collaboration to these efforts.

Incredible Brilliant Youth is a fun, innovative youth organisation that was set up in July 2012 to help empower and improve the confidence of young people aged 11-30 through courses, workshops and talks on self esteem, beauty, education and employment. To date they have worked with over 2000 people across the South of England.

After the success of the IBY Complete Hair and Makeup Artist course in the Summer, all six graduates went on to paid work on photoshoots, adverts, TV shows and films. How amazing is that, especially in an industry that's been hit so hard by COVID19?!

Blueprint for all (formerly Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust) works with young people and communities to create an inclusive society in which everyone, regardless of their race, ethnicity or background can thrive.

Their programmes provide inspiration, opportunities and support to talented young people, enabling them to succeed. They work with innovative organisations and businesses to address disparity of opportunity, so everyone’s talents, skills and perspectives are valued. And we empower communities across the UK to tackle inequality and discrimination for long term, sustainable change.

My incredible daughter raised over £1,000 for Young Minds a few years ago when she did a 5-mile run, aged 8. Given how the pandemic has affected the mental health of so many, it felt like the right choice to support Young Minds this year.

Apothaka donated a number of larger hand cream samples to a local initiative in the area, Healing Hands, which gets much needed skincare products to front line NHS workers. A batch went to Hemel Hospital and in total, Apothaka has donated over 70 samples, including some to local NHS staff in Berkhamsted and to King's College ICU staff (thanks to Yasmine @peels_masks_and_scrubs who has been doing an amazing job of getting goodie bags to the wonderful staff there)

This wonderful local charity supports and empowers those in my area that face homelessness, poverty & social exclusion, by providing access to temporary accommodation, food and provisions as well as supporting them with the development of skills and confidence to build a better future.

50% of Haitian children don't have the opportunity to attend school. The Joseph School believes that through education students will teach and empower hundreds— transforming the future of Haiti.
The money went towards health assessments & medical needs, a food programme which provides locally grown food for the students’ meals, and some desperately needed books.