12 Days of Christmas – sharing Christmas appeals, initiatives and information

By Lorna Gough. Communications Worker. December 2021.

Leading up to Christmas, the CCVS team decided we would like to highlight some of the wonderful ways in which local organisations are supporting our community this year. From putting together hampers, to distributing gifts, and selling Christmas Trees, the Cambridgeshire Voluntary Sector community is doing what it does best – helping people in times of need. We’re also including non local voluntary initiatives which can be accessed locally or online.

This year Christmas will be particularly hard for so many families.

As many of us sit down to a delicious Christmas meal, followed by an evening of good company, family games, Christmas TV and plenty of sweets, nuts and chocolates, there will be many people hidden behind closed doors, or out on the street, struggling to make the day any different to their every day. Struggling to give their families a day to remember, a treat, a festive time. Struggling to get warm, stay warm, and to lift their mood enough to get through the day. Struggling to feel hope, let alone joy.

Individuals and families may be battling poor health – mentally and physically, financial hardship, loneliness and desperation, grief, homelessness, displacement, or domestic abuse. The rise in the cost of energy, cuts to universal credit, food shortages and the rise in day-to-day cost of living will be compounding those struggles.

Thanks to the hard work of our local voluntary organisations, some light relief will be on its way to many of those in need in our community.

We’re sharing links to some of the local appeals, initiatives and support we’ve been made aware of, as well as products available to buy. The non local opportunities may be of interest to anyone looking at new things to get involved with. The list is not exhaustive and there are bound to be some we’ve missed. If you’d like to share details of something you know about, we’d be happy to add to this list.

Email lorna@cambridgecvs.org.uk with ’12 days of Christmas’ in the subject line, and a link to the appropriate website.

Appeals and Christmas products

Abbey People – Christmas Hamper Appeal.

Cherry Hinton Food Hub and Community Fridge Christmas Donations

Addenbrookes Charitable Trust Christmas hamper appeal

Arthur Rank Christmas Tree recycling scheme

Red hen Project – 5 ways to help a child in need this Christmas

PhoenixMilton are selling Christmas Trees and other Christmas related products such as wooden crates for hampers and gifts

Cruse Bereavement Support – Grieving at Christmas

Cambridge City Council – Food Poverty Alliance Christmas Gifts for vulnerable families

Migrateful – online cookery classes and work Christmas online parties, as well as catering options.

Romsey Mill Christmas appeal for Aspire, their work with local autistic young people and their families..