This year USE* has supported a number of charitable organisations. One close to our hearts is Operation Shoebox - a project which encourages people to fill a shoebox with a personal letter and useful items for those who are serving in our armed forces out in Afghanistan.

Our donations to Operation Shoebox have enabled the project to fill care parcels on our behalf and send them to troops. USE* sponsored 50 of these parcels to be sent on our behalf to troops over the Christmas period.

USE* also chose to donate to SAACID, which is a partner organisation of Oxfam. The charity aims to provide free health care for thousands of children in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia, and helps to fund health centres, nursing staff and medical equipment in some of the most war torn areas of the country.

Finally USE* donated to SCOPE, a disability charity which supports disabled people in receiving the same opportunities as non-disabled people.

Donations made to Operation Shoebox, SAACID and SCOPE totalled £900 in 2011.