- The Hope At Christmas 2020 campaign sought donations such as food, clothing, toys, and vouchers which people across Norfolk generously gave;
- The campaign, run by Hopestead, led to donations made to local grassroots organisations and charities including the People’s Picnic, Food and Beverage Buggies, and StreetVet;
- The campaign is just one part of Hopestead’s work that aims to end homelessness in the East of England.
A charity campaign set up to support those who are experiencing or on the brink of homelessness this winter has led to donations to Norwich based charities and grassroots organisations.
The Hope at Christmas 2020 campaign, run by Hopestead, sought donations such as food, clothing, vouchers, as well as new and unwrapped toys. People also donated via the charity’s Just Giving page.
Organisers from Hopestead were overwhelmed by the generous public response to the campaign and distributed donations to grassroots organisations and charities it partnered with just before Christmas.
25 Christmas gift packs of toiletries and sweet treats, along with Christmas cards and Greggs vouchers were donated to individuals living in hostels across Norwich and surrounding areas. And, thanks to everyone’s generosity, enough donations were also provided to Food And Beverage Buggies (FABB) to enable them to cook meals three times a day, well into 2021. A representative from FABB said: “We are totally amazed. We’ll have stock well into next year. We cannot express our gratitude enough!!”
Sleeping bags, warm clothing, thermal items, and food containers were amongst the items donated to The People’s Picnic. The Hope at Christmas 2020 campaign also allowed Hopestead to gift £300 towards The People’s Picnic’s new van purchase, enabling them to continue their vital work in Norwich distributing warm clothing, sleeping bags and meals.
In addition, pet food, treats, toys, blankets, hi-visibility coats and collars, were given to Street Vets, a charity which delivers free veterinary care to pet owners who are experiencing homelessness.
Marie-Claire Delbrouque, MD of Hopestead commented: “Last year was challenging for all of us and we have been absolutely thrilled and moved by the generosity and kindness of everyone who donated to our campaign. Thank you so much; I can assure you that every donation makes a real difference.
“This campaign is just one step towards achieving our overall goal of ending homelessness in the East of England. Now more than ever, there is a vital need to work together with like-minded partners to achieve this.”
The Hopestead team collected donations across East Anglia in December and donated to other organisations in the region, including the Salvation Army which received food, treats, toys and toiletries to distribute at Christmas. Ipswich Winter Night Shelter and Wintercomfort Cambridge were also beneficiaries of the campaign.
Marie-Claire Delbrouque added: “This campaign has been a huge success and has already made a positive impact across the East of England. We are grateful to everyone who supported us, donated, and volunteered.
“We look forward to continuing our work in 2021 and beyond, because we believe that everyone deserves a place to call home.”
You can find out more by visiting www.hopestead.org or Hopestead on Twitter @_hopestead or Instagram @_hopestead and Facebook Hopestead | Facebook