Surviving Christmas has been helping vulnerable and homeless people in the Hastings and Rother district for a great many years. And then came 2020 when, as it has for many local and national charities, accessing funding to carry out the charity’s work has become as big a challenge as the work itself.
And for this particular charity, it is a major challenge indeed as Surviving Christmas chairperson, Susan Peck, shared for Rye News readers:
“Covid-19 means that our focus will have to change dramatically, whilst continuing to cope with the undoubted increased need for our help. This year, we plan to distribute in excess of 700 Christmas hampers for the most vulnerable in our area through nominations by local government agencies.
“Inevitably, this year’s campaign will take a completely different route than at any time previously. Safeguarding our volunteers will be vital – social distancing measures will be in place and carefully observed. Although, as ever, we will welcome every bit of help offered, there will be restrictions on what we can do, and the amount of volunteers we can welcome.
New ways to donate needed
“We are disappointed that we cannot provide the level of Christmas cheer for which we have become renowned, and it is with great sadness that we have had to cancel our normal two day event over Christmas Day and Boxing Day. We are focusing on providing the greatest good with fewer resources and within the scope of government guidelines.”
As part of their actions to keep Surviving Christmas volunteers and the people they help safe, this year the charity cannot accept donations of actual items. This means:
- No donations of gifts for adults or children (including toys).
- No clothing donations.
- No donations of groceries.
As a result, many of the usual collection points we would usually expect to spring up this time of year in various shops, venues and public spaces will not be appearing. While this is disappointing, it does not mean that individuals and organisations cannot support Surviving Christmas, it just means doing things differently – and in this case digitally – as online donations are now vitally important to the charity:
“Covid has also meant that we have not been able to have any of our fundraising events this year, so we are starting our campaign already drawing on our reserves, and with expenditure which is likely to be far in excess of a normal year” says Susan Peck.
Sponsor a hamper for £35
“To that end, we would particularly welcome monetary donations in place of the things listed above which we cannot accept. Any help in this area would be so much appreciated – and donations online or by cheque would be very welcome.
“Another very concrete way to might help would be to sponsor a hamper, at £35: the hampers bring Christmas cheer to families who otherwise might have very little to eat over the holiday period, and will feed a family of four for a week. Whatever you can do to help, no matter how small, you will help many of our most vulnerable guests.”
It is hoped that any groups and individuals, who might usually support the charity by gathering groceries and dropping them off at collection points, will support this different giving opportunity with the same enthusiasm and generosity they have shown to support Surviving Christmas in the past.
Already, some groups and individuals are starting to respond. The volunteers at Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat (PLIRB) usually run a community collection-point for Surviving Christmas at their boathouse premises. This was very well supported by the community, as shown in the photo above from 2019’s collection.
Time is running out though
But, in the absence of being able to collect items this year, PLIRB volunteers instead held a personal whip-round during a recent Sunday training, boathouse and equipment checking session, raising enough to sponsor a hamper for Surviving Christmas instead.
However, with 700 hampers needed, the latest lockdown cutting across already-altered planning, and the fact it’s now mid-November, time is running out for the charity to prepare Christmas for those in crisis. The charity remains both hopeful and grateful for any assistance local businesses and communities are able to give, as they face the additional challenges of making Christmas 2020 a happy one for those in need.
And Susan adds: “The situation changes daily and, although we have plans in process to do as much as we are physically able, we cannot guarantee what government restrictions might be in place as we approach the time of this year’s campaign. Please keep in touch via Facebook and our website for the most up to date news. We will keep our website updated daily; with all relevant details on our website.
“We wish you all a merry, and above all a safe and happy, holiday season. Thank you for thinking of us in this difficult time, and please know that we will as always do our very best to help those in less fortunate circumstances than ourselves.”
Ways to donate
If any Rye News readers would like to support Surviving Christmas there is still time and there are several ways to do so:
- By donation via the Surviving Christmas Crowdfunder page.
- Via the Surviving Christmas website donation page.
- By direct bank transfer using the following bank details: Account name: Surviving Christmas; Sort Code 09-01-28; Account number 95632396. Please provide a reference so that the charity knows where the donation has come from.
Image Credits: PLIRB .