Support the Bankside Christmas Gift Appeal and together, we can make a difference this festive season to people dealing with homelessness, or struggling with their mental health, and to our older neighbours.
One of Better Bankside’s longest-running campaigns, the Bankside Christmas Gift Appeal brings the Bankside community together to provide gifts to almost 1,000 people, which are distributed through hostels, charities and community partners in Bankside and across Southwark.
Sign up your business now to help promote the appeal to your colleagues!
All businesses that sign up now will be sent a resource pack to help promote the Bankside Christmas Gift Appeal in your organisation. You will also get exclusive early access to sign up for the volunteer gift-wrapping activities that take place in early December.
How does the Bankside Christmas Gift Appeal work?
We partner with For Common Good, a zero-waste donation platform that means we can create bespoke wish lists for each organisation supported by the appeal, giving them a chance to tailor the gifts to suit the needs of the people they help. Commonly requested gift items include warm clothing, toiletries and edible treats.
The wish lists will be open for donations from early October and will close by the end of November.
Then in December, Bankside volunteers help wrap and pack the donated gifts so that we can deliver them in time for each organisation’s festive celebrations. Details about this year’s Christmas gift-wrapping activities will be announced soon.
Who does the Bankside Christmas Gift Appeal support?
The Bankside Christmas Git Appeal has always supported people who are affected by homelessness, those struggling with their mental health, and our older neighbours.
This year, we will support the following Bankside-based organisations and others across Southwark.
- Blackfriars Settlement Positive Ageing Service – a day centre service providing support and social activities for 235 local older people.
- The Manna Society – a day centre for homeless people and those in need, providing hot meals, hot showers, and clean clothes, as well as housing and welfare advice to around 160 people.
- St Mungo’s Great Guildford Street hostel – a 24-hour service that looks after 51 people who are affected by homelessness and have high support needs.
- Blackfriars Settlement Mental Health & Wellbeing Service – groups, activities and one-to-one support helping 95 people who are facing mental health challenges in the community.
- United St Saviours’ Hopton Street Almshouses– the almshouses provide affordable accommodation for 24 older people.
- Robes Project – running winter night shelters for up to 20 people, this charity also offers advice and support to help people experiencing homelessness to rebuild their lives.
- Lucy Brown House – this sheltered housing service near Borough Market is home to 36 elderly and vulnerable residents.
We’ll be updating this page with links to each organisation’s wish list from early October, which will also be shared with everyone who registers via the link above.
If you have any questions about the Bankside Christmas Gift Appeal, please contact Rachel Nicholson.
