What better way to spread the Christmas spirit than by supporting a charity that helps those in the community who may not have the luxury of kicking back with their family or are struggling to provide for theirs. Whether you’re able to provide a donation or give the gift of your time, we’ve put together a list of charities that need your support this Christmas. 

No one should go hungry this Christmas and charities The Trussell Trust and FareShare will help put food on the table for thousands of families. Both charities are seeing a surge in demand for food. If you can, consider adding long-life food to your shop and dropping it at a collection point to support the charities and their work.

Tesco will be running its annual Winter Food Collection in partnership with FareShare and The Trussell Trust from Thursday 28th - Saturday 30th November in stores nationwide. They are also looking for volunteers to man the collection points, if you can spare a couple of hours it hugely increases the volume of donations. Sign up here.

Donations to The Trussell Trust will support its network of food banks helping provide emergency food to people in crisis. Find food banks in your area https://www.trusselltrust.org/

Donations to FareShare will support food deliveries to frontline charities https://fareshare.org.uk/volunteer/

Volunteers and donations are essential to enabling The Soup Kitchen to continue to provide for those in need. There are various ways that you can support and make a difference even if you’re not local, choose the best one for you. https://soupkitchenlondon.org/ways-to-help/ 

Right now people are having to make difficult choices between food, warmth and putting a roof over their heads. Every year Crisis opens its doors to people who are homeless across the UK, helping them to get the support they need to find a safe and secure home. Whilst their support is year-round, Crisis provide extra support around Christmas, helping people to share a social connection with not only a warm, safe place, but also access to meals, entertainment and community at one of the toughest times of year. Sign up HERE to volunteer, or click HERE to if you'd like to donate and help someone start a life beyond homelessness this Christmas.

1.5 million older people will feel more lonely this Christmas than any other time of year. Help make this Christmas a little brighter with just a phone call. If talking to a stranger isn’t for you, is there an older friend or relative you could call this Christmas to make them feel less alone?

Age UK https://www.ageuk.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/volunteering-enquiry/

One of the toughest issues facing elderly people this winter is the energy crisis with many people struggling to afford to heat their homes. Donate to Small Acts of Kindness, a charity which aims to heat the person, not the home, helping vulnerable people stay warm without worrying about soaring bills.

Lastly, if you're not in a position to donate money or volunteer, consider a pre-Christmas clear-out. Many charity shops receive an influx of toy donations after Christmas, but donating before Christmas may allow parents to find gifts for their children.