Christmas is a great time for most people, but it is also a time when people can need our support. We have put together a short list of local, and national charities who are looking for our support, and thank you for people who have made suggestions.

– Donations of food and toiletries:

Porch Boxes is a small local charity based in Radcliffe. They use use donated and purchased goods to make up “crisis packs”, each of which contains non-perishable food and toiletries for two days. We make these available to vulnerable individuals through referral agencies, notdirectly to individuals. Their assistance goes to people with needs, including: lone parent families, or vulnerable or abused individuals in temporary housing or hostel accommodation, teen mothers in special need, eg without family support, young people in need until longer term support arrangements, in-cluding budgeting skills, are in place, people in transition between in-care and community living, people sleeping rough, people tackling illness, disability or addiction, families benefiting from an annual caravan-based holiday, people seeking asylum, and older people who have temporary needs or who live in poverty.

Porch Boxes are looking for donations of non-perishable food and toiletries at any time through the year. Please phone 0161 761 5908 if you can help.

Financial Donations: 

The Frost Foundation is a local charity based in Radcliffe helping ill and disadvantaged children across Greater Manchester. The charity is currently helping children through  providing hampers and Christmas presents for underprivileged children and supporting children who need specialist care and equipment.

The Frost Foundation is asking for people to join it’s FESTIVE FIVER FUND: They are recruiting new members for the 2013 Festive Fiver Fund to commence in January 2013. This year the donations from that fund will help towards our Christmas programme. For a one off payment of £60 or regular monthly payments of £5 paid direct into our bank account for 12 months, they  can ensure we have the funds to donate to and help children and families have a special Christmas they wouldn’t have without us.

The Festive Fiver Fund will buy presents for underpriviledged children in our area, as well as donating hampers to local families living in hardship. For more details and a Direct Debit form please email Wendy Veevers wendy@frostfoundation.co.uk. More information www.frostfoundation.co.uk

Donations of Clothing and Household items:

The Mustard Tree is a Manchester based charity which exists to serve those across Greater Manchester who find themselves without home, food, dignity or hope. We hope you’ll get a good feel for what we are about and the people we work to support by clicking through this website.

Rather than tipping items of household goods and furniture, Mustard Tree would like to help you, help the environment. They will good use of items that would otherwise be wasted. If you have good quality clothing, bedding, household items, small electrical items or small items of furniture that are in good condition and that you would like to donate to them, these can be dropped off at their premises any time 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday and 9am – 12:30pm on Saturdays. For larger items, please contact them on 0161 228 7331 to arrange a collection by a Mustard Tree van.
They will make the items you donate available at affordable prices to those in need through our warehouse on 110 Oldham Road. More information on Mustard Tree at www.mustardtree.org.uk

Take action through sending an email:

Amnesty International, the human rights charity, is asking us to take a second during November and December to write to people across the world who are being persecuted because of their beliefs. Their ‘Write for Rights’ scheme says that even simple card or letter brings hope and comfort to those suffering human rights abuses.

Amnesty say: These people are just like you. With mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and friends who miss them. Send them a message and let them know they haven’t been forgotten.

Amnesty give details and links everything you need to get started from address labels to translated messages. Use your freedom of expression to stand up for the freedom of others.

More information on Write for Rights here.

   Leave a comment