The Spirit of Selflessness this Christmas

It’s all too easy to forget, when you’ve got the tinsel up and the turkey in the oven, that Christmas isn’t always a spirited time of year for many: whether it be families on the brink of poverty, the severity of the homelessness crisis this winter, or people who may feel alone with the loss of loved ones. So, perhaps this Christmas you could pull off a few festive favours in the spirit of selflessness.

• Donate a bag of urgently needed items to your local foodbank.

One in Five families currently live under the poverty line in the UK. Foodbanks rely on our generosity. With an increasing pressure to have ‘fun’ at Christmas, it is important that we do all we can to support the network of foodbanks. Concentrate on donating food and toiletries that are urgently needed by your local foodbank. To find out more about what items your local foodbank desperately need visit: https://www.trusselltrust.org/

• Give someone a call you haven’t spoken to in a while.

Whether it’s a family member who you should have phoned a year ago, or a long-lost friend, let your loved ones know that they’re loved. Christmas can be an incredibly lonely time for those that are alone or have lost loved ones; letting someone know that you care and you’re there to listen is always appreciated. So don’t just hide under the duvet this Christmas, give your great aunt a call!

• Sent a Christmas card to a poorly child and give them a much needed lift!

Channel your creativity and hand make a card to send to a poorly child this Christmas with the fantastic charity Post Pals. You could brighten the day of a child receiving cancer treatment or an organ transplant this Christmas. Read the stories of all the incredible ‘pals’ and send them some mail today and all throughout the year! For more information go to: http://www.postpals.co.uk/

• Help beat Homelessness – volunteer or donate today!

The number of people sleeping rough in England has increased by 134% between 2010 and 2017 according to the Office of National Statistics. We are now in the coldest part of the year and it’s an incredibly dangerous time of the year to be homeless. You can help in a number of ways! Get involved with Crisis this winter by donating to help them give shelter and food to the homeless this winter, or register to volunteer: https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-involved/. If you spot an old coat lying around the house donate it to a charity that distributes to the homeless today!