13,000 Reasons to Be Grateful This Winter

Winter is always a difficult season for families in need, but in 2024, the challenges have been particularly harsh. Rising living costs and fuel poverty have pushed many to breaking point. With your support, we’ve been able to step in and make a real difference during these cold, unforgiving months.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of everyone who has donated our Give a Gift for Good appeal has created thousands of moments of hope.

With £13,437 raised so far, We have been able to deliver essential toiletries, clothing, toys, blankets and other essentials worth £155,000 to 4,815 people in the UK during December.

He woke up on Christmas morning with the biggest smile on his face. It’s a memory I’ll treasure, knowing that despite everything, he had a reason to smile.

These gifts for good were lifelines, providing:

• Relief for parents choosing between heating their homes or feeding their children.
• Comfort for families overwhelmed by mounting bills.
• Joy for children who might have faced a holiday without gifts.

Every donation tells a story: David’s Winter Struggle

For David, winter had always been hard, but this year, it became unbearable. Living in a small, damp flat with draughty windows and mould on the walls, he faced the impossible choice of heating his home or feeding his two young children. As energy bills soared, David found himself sitting in the cold, layering his children with blankets and rationing what little food they had left.

I wasn’t sure how we’d get through the month, but then, we had this delivery. The kids smiled for the first time in weeks when they opened their gifts.

Through our partnership with Community Game Changers, we delivered blankets, toys and other essentials for him and his two children. "I wasn’t sure how we’d get through the month," David shared. "But then, we had this delivery. The kids smiled for the first time in weeks when they opened their gifts. I felt really choked up because It reminded me that we weren’t forgotten. That blankets keep us warm when the heating has to stay off. We can't thank you enough. "

David’s story is just one of many. Behind every donation is a real person—a parent, a child, a family—facing the harshest challenges. The support we’ve received through our Give a Gift for Good appeal is turning despair into hope, proving that even the smallest gift can make a big difference.

If you want to know more about the impact of your support,  read Claire and James’s stories and see how we’re helping families through the toughest months 

Read more

Donations close 22nd January

While Aviva’s match funding has ended, donations remain open until 22nd January. With your help, we can keep delivering hope to more people this winter. Donate now to help us reach our target of £25,000 and continue this vital work.

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