Phone calls for the lonely and presents for children: How to help support vulnerable people at Christmas
It is an understatement to say that the coronavirus pandemic has made 2020 a difficult year. Not only has it seen 60,000 people dead in the UK, but people have had to worry about their health, their jobs, their businesses, and whether they will financially and mentally make it to the end of the year, let alone in terms of the virus.
While the vaccine offers some hope, it will not alleviate many of the systemic economic problems the pandemic has caused including huge unemployment numbers and a recession. The Trussell Trust says it anticipates handing out six parcels every minute throughout the winter months to people in need.
Although it can be easy to overlook the problems other people are facing when we are struggling with our own challenges, it’s more vital than ever that we don’t. Cuts to essential services, on top of a decade of austerity, mean vulnerable people are being impacted more severely than ever before.
And if the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s a sobering reminder of life’s fragility and the importance of working together to defeat a common goal. This Christmas, let’s all try and spread some much needed goodwill to others.
The Independent has rounded up different ways you can reach out to those in need and give them specific assistance over the festive period.
Buy a support parcel for those fleeing domestic abuse
One in five offences recorded by police during and immediately after the first national lockdown in England and Wales involved domestic abuse, new figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed. And, in Northern Ireland, domestic violence reached its highest level in August since records began.
Refuge, the UK charity offering specialist support for those experiencing domestic violence, is selling refuge parcels for women and child escaping domestic abuse. These are comprised of essentials required by those fleeing violence, such as toiletries, nappies, clothes and food.
Buys yours here.
Call an isolated older person
Before the pandemic, older people were already facing a crisis of loneliness. This has intensified over the past nine months, with Age UK reporting over 1.4m chronically lonely older people living in England this summer.
Fear of catching coronavirus, long-term shielding and isolation from other people, and the death of loved ones has all contributed to make a critical situation significantly worse. Re-engage, a charity aimed at tackling social isolation amongst older people, estimate that more than 850,000 older people will spend this Christmas alone.
However, Age UK, Independent Age, Re-engage and Opening Doors all offer telephone befriending services for older people who may be suffering from loneliness and isolation this Christmas. Contact the organisations directly to see how you can make a big difference to someone’s life this festive season and beyond.
Buy a Christmas present for a child in need
According to the Child Poverty Action Group, there were 4.2 million children living in poverty in the UK in 2018-19; that’s 30 per cent of children. This figure rises to 44 per cent in lone-parent families, and 46 per cent for children from black and minority ethnic groups. For families like these, Christmas can be a stressful time, particularly when so many people have been affected by job loss over the past year.
Fortunately, there are a number of organisations organising presents for children around the UK who might not otherwise get one. The Toy Appeal is a registered charity established in 2013 that provides a sack of toys at Christmas for children aged between 0 and 17-years-old who are living in poverty. Social workers, schools, women’s refuges, food banks and drop-in centres can refer a child or family to The Toy Appeal to ensure that they have presents to open on Christmas morning.
Elsewhere, Family Action, a charity offering support to families experiencing poverty and disadvantage, have been organising a toy appeal for vulnerable and low income families since 2009.
You can find out more about this and donate here.
Send a card
If you’re feeling a bit bleak about the state of the world, take some proactive action that can have a big impact on the lives of real people. Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign is an annual event that involves sending letters of support to people around the world who have suffered injustice.
As well as sending letters of solidarity, you can write an appeal letter to authorities around the world who can bring justice. If you’d prefer something closer to home, Postcards of Kindness is an initiative that asks people to write and send cards to residents of care homes. According to Age UK, these small gestures “bring a great deal of joy and spark lively conversations among the older people who receive them."
You can find out more about Writes for Rights here.
Gift a young person a Christmas dinner
Violence, abuse, family breakdown and coming out as LGBT+ are just a handful of the reasons why young people become homeless, meaning it can often be safer to leave home than stay.
Established in 1969, Centrepoint has been helping young people aged between 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness for over 20 years. This year, you can buy a Christmas dinner for a young person who may be unable to be with friends or family for just £10.
You can find out more here.
Share mental health support resources
Despite romantic images of harmonious family Christmases, this time of year has long been a stressful one for many people. Family conflict, separation from or the loss of loved ones, and the additional pressures of the pandemic have all combined to create a perfect storm of stress and anxiety for many people this year.
While it’s important that we do our best to make time for friends and family and listen without judgement, sometimes professional support is the most appropriate.
Mental health charity Mind offers helplines, face-to-face services and online forums when things feel too much, while CALM (Campaign for Living Miserably) runs a helpline and webchat from 5pm to midnight 365 days a year. The Samaritans also offer a 24/7 helpline, email and letter writing service 365 days a year.
Donate to a food bank
One in four adults in the UK have struggled to access food they can afford during the coronavirus pandemic, leaving them susceptible to hunger and potential malnutrition, a report published in June warned. Food banks across the country have witnessed a ‘new wave’ of families coming forward who have never needed help before, with demand for food parcels expected to soar by 60 per cent this winter.
For those who can afford to, setting up a direct debit to your local food bank offers a regular source of funds to these essential services, but even a one-off donation helps. Different banks have different needs, so it’s worth checking your local branch to see if they need specific products.
Find your local branch here.
Read More
