Much of preparing for Christmas is about wishes. Our Christmas may not be perfect, but many of us will be looking forward to spending it in the warm with people we love. Children make lists of the presents they wish for. For someone experiencing homelessness, such wishes are far from their minds.
At St Martin’s Charity our mission is that everyone can have a safe place to call home. And our wish is that we can provide it, through the support of others.
This morning Sam Wells broadcasts our Christmas Appeal. For 98 years this unique partnership between St Martin’s and BBC Radio 4 has raised millions of pounds to enable us to support individuals, charities and frontline workers.
Our work starts here in Trafalgar Square through supporting The Connection, but reaches across the UK, directly helping nearly 8000 people into homes of their own through our emergency grants and supporting thousands of frontline workers from Brighton to Belfast. Through our funding we help young people experiencing homelessness in Bristol, families in Northern Ireland, people leaving the criminal justice system in Scotland, women in Yorkshire, people facing mental health crises in Wales and Edinburgh, and those experiencing homelessness in the LGBT community, in hospitals and as refugees.
Our work is needed more than ever, because homelessness is rising. In England alone 360,000 households approached their council for help in the last year – a 10% increase. Rough sleeping is rising in every region. Nearly 12,000 people slept rough on London’s streets last year – a record.
So please listen on Radio 4 or BBC Sounds to Sam and our supporter Hugh Dennis as he meets Carla, John and others we have helped: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wh1dk.
The church and congregation of St Martins has always been generous with its time, money and compassion to support the Charity and those experiencing homelessness. If you are able to help us again, we’d be truly thankful. You can donate at www.smitfc.org/christmas24 or call 0800 082 82 84 or send a cheque to Freepost St Martin’s Christmas Appeal.
Homelessness can be complicated, but everyone having a safe place to call home should surely not be too much to wish for. Thank you.
Duncan Shrubsole, CEO, St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity
