Natura-owned The Body Shop has announced the launch of the Play For Peace initiative in collaboration with NGO International Alert’s Peace Play project, which will aid displaced refugees through the purchase of seasonal festive goods.

According to The Body Shop, The Play For Peace project, implemented by Basmeh and Zeitooneh, supports refugee children by using recreational and creative activities to help them deal with trauma and to understand their experiences of conflict.

As part of the drive, every gift purchased from The Body Shop’s seasonal gift collections will assist the project in running for 12 months, with the company hoping to raise at least £250,000 this year.

The project will run in the Shatila refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon, with the activities taking place in a safe-haven community centre.

Jessie Macneil-Brown, Senior Manager Campaigns and Corporate Responsibility, The Body Shop said, “We are proud to be supporting International Alert this Christmas. The Body Shop has always been passionate about tackling global issues and empowering customers to make a difference.  This year we have a simple but powerful message; that every refugee child deserves the chance to behave like a child again. Each customer who purchases a gift from our seasonal gift collections this Christmas will help us create positive, powerful change in this community.”