Wrap Up London: Giving Warmth a Second Life

As the cold months draw in and London’s streets begin to shimmer with winter lights, many of us instinctively reach for a warm coat before heading out. It’s such a small, comforting ritual that many of us take for granted. Yet for thousands of Londoners facing homelessness, displacement, or financial hardship, a coat can mean so much more than warmth. It can mean comfort, dignity, and even survival.

That’s why every autumn, Wrap Up London, a campaign led by HandsOn London, calls on the public to donate their pre-loved coats to people in need. It’s a simple idea, but one with profound impact, turning unused items gathering dust in our wardrobes into something that can quite literally change lives.

What Is Wrap Up London?

The Wrap Up London campaign runs annually during November and December, when the need for warm clothing becomes most urgent. What began as a local initiative has grown into a movement of compassion and circularity, powered entirely by volunteers and community partners.

Each year, people across the UK give their time and their coats to support those most vulnerable to the cold. The donated coats are sorted and distributed through homeless shelters, refugee centres, women’s refuges, children’s charities, and organisations supporting the elderly. These are places where a coat can make an immediate, tangible difference, protecting someone from freezing temperatures while also helping them to feel seen, valued, and cared for.

And it doesn’t stop there. Wrap Up London works year-round with its charity partners to ensure every single donation reaches someone in genuine need. Any surplus coats are redirected to other organisations to make sure nothing goes to waste. Even the small number of items that arrive in poor condition are handled responsibly through ethical recycling partnerships, guaranteeing that the environmental impact remains positive.

Bywaters’ Role: Giving Warmth a Second Life

At Bywaters, we believe that sustainability isn’t just about what we recycle, it’s about how we care. Whether that’s reducing waste, reusing materials, or helping communities thrive, sustainability is as much about people as it is about the planet.

That’s why our team has proudly supported Wrap Up London as both volunteers and donors.

Last year, our colleagues across departments came together with a simple mission: to make a meaningful difference. We placed dedicated collection bags across our offices and facilities, inviting everyone to donate pre-loved coats and warm clothing. The response was incredible, a true testament to how small gestures can create a ripple of goodwill.

The collected items were donated directly to Wrap Up London, where they were sorted and sent to shelters and centres across the city. Some of our team members also took the initiative to volunteer their time, assisting in these activities. They joined other volunteers at the collection points where the coats are deposited, carefully sorting through each item to ensure it was clean, wearable, and ready to be reused. The coats were then divided into categories by size and age group, making it easier for charity partners to distribute them to the right people. Once sorted, our team helped load the sacks into vans, ready to be delivered to shelters, community centres, and those who needed them most.

It reminded us of what community truly means: people coming together not because they have to, but because they care.

Sustainability Beyond Recycling

What makes Wrap Up London especially powerful is that it embodies the essence of a circular economy. Every coat donated is one less item heading to landfill, one less product needing to be manufactured from scratch, and one more opportunity to extend the life of something already made.

In a world where fast fashion and overconsumption continue to strain our planet’s resources, initiatives like this demonstrate that reuse is one of the most sustainable actions we can take.

For Bywaters, this connection between environmental and social sustainability is at the heart of our mission. As a company working to make London cleaner and greener, we know that real progress happens when environmental responsibility and human compassion go hand in hand.

When we reuse, we reduce waste. When we give, we strengthen communities. And when we come together, we make sustainability something that everyone can be part of.

The Power of Small Actions

It’s easy to underestimate how much difference one coat or one act of kindness can make. But for someone sleeping rough or struggling through hardship, that single donation might be the thing that carries them through another winter night.

At Bywaters, we’ve seen firsthand how powerful community action can be. Whether it’s sorting coats, volunteering time, or spreading the word, every person who takes part plays a role in building a more compassionate and sustainable city.

This year, as the Wrap Up London campaign runs again through November and December, we’re encouraging everyone, colleagues, partners, clients, and Londoners alike, to join in. Check your wardrobe, find that coat you no longer wear, and give it a new purpose.

You can learn more about the campaign and find your nearest drop-off point at https://www.handsonlondon.org.uk/wrap-uplondon

Wrap Up London 2025: How You Can Get Involved This Year

Now entering its 15th year, Wrap Up London has become one of the city’s largest and most inspiring winter volunteering campaigns, showing what’s possible when Londoners unite for a shared cause. This year’s collections will take place from 3 November to 7 December, with public drop-off points available across the city and dedicated collection days at Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, Moorgate, Waterloo, and London Bridge stations from 4–6 November.

During this time, volunteers will help gather, transport, and sort thousands of pre-loved coats before distributing them to more than 90 charities and community partners across the capital. Since its launch in 2011, the campaign has collected over 244,000 warm coats and engaged nearly 1,200 volunteers, a powerful reminder that small acts, multiplied across communities, can have an extraordinary impact.

Together, We Can Keep London Warm

At its heart, Wrap Up London is about connection: between people, between communities, and between the act of giving and the wider goal of sustainability. It reminds us that circularity isn’t just about materials; it’s about humanity.

Bywaters is proud to play its part once again in this meaningful campaign. Because when we all wrap up London together, we don’t just fight the cold, we build a warmer, kinder, and more sustainable city for everyone.

Our involvement in campaigns like Wrap Up London reflects this belief in action: small steps, taken together, can create powerful change. By continuing to work hand in hand with local charities, businesses, and Londoners, we’re not just managing waste, we’re building a legacy of care, responsibility, and hope for the generations to come.

Because at Bywaters, sustainability isn’t just what we do, it’s who we are.