Together at Christmas 2020

The Bankside neighbourhood is rallying together this Christmas to support the homeless, vulnerable and elderly people in the local community.

Together at Christmas is our annual gift box appeal, encouraging Bankside businesses and employees to donate gifts to local charities. Although the campaign can’t take place in its usual way, the sentiment is more relevant than ever, in a year that has reminded us of the value of togetherness and kindness in our communities. To ensure local charities don’t miss out, we’ve launched a crowdfunding appeal and partnered with Borough Market to turn online donations into Christmas food gifts for those who need them most.

Contributions will bring multiple benefits to the neighbourhood: helping fund edible Christmas treats for the homeless, older and vulnerable members of the local community, while also supporting small and independent traders at Borough Market.

The Christmas gifts will be packed by Borough Market’s elves and distributed using green transport modes.

Banksiders have been generously donating towards the campaign which will run throughout December, with a target of £7,500 to make a difference this Christmas.

Some of the local organisations being supported this year include St Mungo’s Great Guildford Street, Robes Project, Look Ahead Southwark Bridge Road, Lucy Brown House, Blackfriars Settlement and Hopton Street Almshouses. As the appeal grows, more beneficiaries will be added to this list to support as many people as possible

DONATE NOW TO SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

Donald Hyslop, Chair of Better Bankside, said:

“In a year unlike any other, Banksiders have shown a real desire to support our neighbourhood where they can. We were determined that our Together at Christmas campaign would go ahead in some form bringing the business and local communities together in a spirit of kindness and generosity. We’re really pleased to be working with Borough Market this year to turn money raised into gifts for our local charities, also bringing some much needed additional support to their traders.”

Darren Henaghan, Managing Director, Borough Market, said:

“We are very lucky to have been able to stay open during the pandemic and in return want to give something back, so we are thrilled to be partnering with Better Bankside for their Together at Christmas appeal this year. Our responsibility has always been to first and foremost support our community rather than grow our profits – and this is more important than ever at the moment. Not only will your contributions be helping feed vulnerable members of the community, you will also be supporting traders from the Market who have had one of their most challenging years.”

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