This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
The Christmas and New Year holiday isn’t so jolly for so many people around us. Way too many families are having a desperately hard time and the festivities almost always make their situations feel even worse. So here are a few charitable ideas on how we can help others, particularly at this emotive time of year.
Help someone who’s homeless
Several High Street outlets give free tea & coffee via loyalty schemes. Why not give your free cup to warm up someone sleeping rough in the cold? Or perhaps you might like to make a donation to BBC Radio 4’s nominated charity, St Martin’s In The Fields. Their The Key To Home campaign aims to get young people off the streets and into their own accommodation.
Donate spare loyalty points
If you’ve points doing nothing, a few schemes let you donate their cash value to charity. For more information, click here.
Help elderly relatives save money
Show them how to save money on comparison sites – too many old people just renew their policies or stick with the same supplier and are really paying through the nose for their loyalty.
Be there for elderly neighbours who are on their own
With the prospect of higher tiers or a full lockdown, it is not so easy to knock on a neighbour’s door to see if they are OK. But we can still phone them for a chat or to see if they need any food. A friendly voice can make the world of difference to a lonely person. Or see end loneliness campaign.
Donate to your local food bank
Almost all supermarkets have collection points where you can donate non-perishable food – although often you only spot them after you’ve finished your shopping (hello supermarkets – put them somewhere more visible!). So, let’s all try to remember to pop a couple of things in our trollies for those in need. Also, see The Trussell Trust website, one of the largest foodbank organisations. If you are one of our USA readers, you could check out the Hunger Site – when you click (it costs you absolutely nothing), their sponsors fund food for the hungry.
Helping others has the added benefit that we feel great for doing our bit. Read more wellbeing posts here.
