Speaking to my mates recently and we’re talking about a core memory of these charity boxes when you donated you could take a sweet. They were hard chewy old fashioned sweets and tasted horrible. They were all colourfully wrapped and looked like spearmint chews or something. We all grew up in the west of Scotland and this must have been between 1997-2003.
We’ve all collectively been trying to find an image of the box which we remember being blue with either yellow or orange. The artwork was the same as the image attached but we think with a Man at the forefront and maybe a boy and girl with him.
I know this is really random but if anyone can remember what the fuck we’re on about it would save us from going any deeper down this rabbit hole.
Thank you 🙏🏻
by WinstonAim
8 comments
Yeah, they were 10p, maybe 20p later on? Used to be one in the council HQ reception and I’d buy a few while I waited on my mum finishing work. There was a couple toffee flavours that I liked but the others were bogging.
Spearmint chews were the best!
I think I remember what you’re talking about – although I thought they were predominantly yellow. Looked a bit 1970s. Was something like “children in crisis” or something like that.
What stands out in my memory was the side had a slightly creepy list of things you could say to a child like “I love you” and “you are valued” etc.
We had them in What Everyone Wants in 1999/2000 when I worked there. A wee old lady would come in once a week and replace the sweets and collect the money.
I used to munch them when I was cashing up the till in the evening. So I had to empty my pockets for change when she came in and admitted I forgot to pay.
Not seen them since What Everyone Wants when under.
I actually swear I saw one in the last 5 years, but I can’t remember the charity.
Whats the woman on the left holding in her hands? It looks like shes casually snapping a small childs neck.
I Hooe these never leave
I can’t believe this came up on Reddit.
The charity was Teen Challenge. My dad still goes out and empties the charity boxes. They had sweets right up until COVID. Then they had to change to boring plastic tubs.
The charity helps young people with addiction problems. They have some rehab centres across Scotland.
As a child I sometimes got to go out with my dad when he was emptying them. He’d count the money and I’d refill the sweets. We always had boxes and boxes of Toffees and Spearmint Chews in our house. And massive bags of change.
The charity had a huge issue with the people emptying the boxes not being honest so they had a big drop in funds raised. I don’t know if anyone else is still emptying them. My dad was going all over Scotland emptying them. Inverness, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh.
Sorry I’m going on about it. Was a huge part of my childhood.