NHS Birthday tote bag FAQs

Can you tell me a bit more about this campaign?

After years of underfunding the NHS is struggling, and hundreds of thousands of us have long been fighting for change. Now, as the NHS turns 77, the Government has launched its long-awaited 10 Year Plan – and the 38 Degrees community will be watching every step of the way to make sure it does what it needs to do to save our health service.

To kick off this new chapter with a huge show of support, we’ve created a limited edition NHS Birthday tote bag to help spread the NHS love!

But that’s not all. 38 Degrees supporters have also helped to create our powerful new People’s Priorities – six tests to judge the Government’s new plan against. We’ll be marking it on what matters to all of us: from easier access to crucial services and improved quality of care, to making the NHS a better place to work. And if it doesn’t stack up, either now or in the future? We’ll make our feelings known. Read more in our blog.

What do the tote bags look like?

The tote bags celebrate “77 years strong” and feature both the NHS and 38 Degrees logos. They’ve been designed in house by the 38 Degrees team. We hope you like them!

What size are the tote bags?

The bags are 38cm x 42cm with a long, over shoulder handle. Plenty of space for a visit to the shops or a day out!

When will I get my tote bag?

We’re thrilled you’ve ordered an NHS tote bag! As we’re still in the early stages, we can’t give a firm delivery timeframe just yet, but we’re working closely with our suppliers to sort out the logistics and get your bag to you as soon as we can. We’re hoping this will be within the next couple of weeks.

As a small team at 38 Degrees, we don’t have the scale or speed of big online retailers like Amazon, so things can take a little longer. But please bear with us – we’re doing everything we can to get your tote bag to you as quickly as possible, and we really appreciate your patience and support.

Are the tote bags sustainably made?

Yes! At 38 Degrees, making sure our merch is sustainable is really important to us. We have a long and proud history of speaking up for our environment – from saving our forests to fighting to rid our rivers of sewage.

Our NHS Birthday tote bags are made from 100% recycled materials: 70% recycled post-manufactured cotton and 30% recycled post-consumer waste. None of the material used is newly manufactured.

Can I order more than one tote bag?

Our bags are limited to one per person, which helps to ensure as many people as possible can get one. If you’d like to, you can chip in below so someone else can get one who otherwise might not be able to afford it.

Are the tote bags free?

Yes, the bags are being offered for free because we want everyone to be able to take part! However, if you’re able to do so, it would be great if you could chip in to help pay for a bag (or two!). We recommend donating £7.50 to cover design, production and delivery costs – and back our campaigns to save the NHS. You can make a secure donation here.

Can I get a tote bag in another language?

Unfortunately, our tote bags are only available in English.

How can I help your campaign further once I’ve got my bag?

We’d love to see where you take your tote bag! Please share photos with us: nhsbirthdaytotebags@38degrees.org.uk (and if you do this, we might share your photo on social media, unless you ask us not to) or post @38degrees.bsky.social using the hashtag #NHSBirthdaytotebag.

This is just the beginning of this new phase of NHS campaigning – and we’re raring to go! You can help power our campaigning in the weeks and months ahead by chipping in securely here.