Morning all! It’s no secret that the cost of living in this country is rising and the amount of families struggling below the poverty line is rising and rising. Thank goodness for groups across the country that are able to intervene wherever they see people suffering and offer to help to make their lives a little easier. Christmas, perhaps more than any other time brings into sharp focus the hideous inequality that blights our country and Christmas, perhaps more than any other time, brings into sharp focus the hideous inequality that blights our country. Our thoughts go to all the families that can’t look forward to this time in the same way that many of us are lucky to be able to. Alice’s thoughtful nomination will help a group that hope to bestow acts of kindness for over 500 families and give them a Christmas to look forward to and memories to cherish. Don’t we all deserve that? Loads of love x
Here’s the nomination in full:
I’ve been a pretty silent partner so far in this wonderful group - but I feel compelled to make my first nomination for a tiny charity pulling out all the stops to give vulnerable families in south-east London a few gifts to unwrap plus food and other essentials this Christmas.
I’ve been donating personally to Bromley Brighter Beginnings for several years but in the current climate their task looks to be their biggest ever. I know any support we could give would go a long way and get right to people who really need it - so far 560 children and counting.The charity is run/staffed entirely by volunteers and steps in year-round to get essential items to families in need, all of whom are referred to them by professionals.
Their annual Christmas campaign aims to give these struggling families “Christmas in a bag”: they provide a tailored package of food vouchers, essential toiletries, warm pyjamas, Christmas treats, toys and - as so many of the children don’t have any books at home - age-appropriate books. Even the bag itself is chosen so it can be used again and again by the families, many of whom are living in temporary accommodation.
They aim to get the bulk of the Christmas bags packed and delivered by the end of November, so it would be ideal to make any donation in the next few weeks so it can go straight towards buying food vouchers, books and any other Christmas items they need to get.
I’ll leave you with a word from the organiser’s fundraising page earlier today: “I have to be honest, we're pretty worried this year. We're already up to 560 children and that's before the last minute requests that normally come our way. Between now and packing day, we'd generally see another 50-100 children added to the list. So to be starting at the number we normally end up at is a bit frightening. Such is the enormous need we are facing at the moment.”
Here’s a link to their Facebook Christmas appeal post:https://www.facebook.com/groups/BromleyBrighterBeginnings/permalink/2517143821758939/
Which also has links to their main Christmas fundraising page:https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/BBBChristmasHampers2022
Many thanks for reading (and for all your work),Alice