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Christmas Cheer
Bringing joy and companionship during the festive season
Together at Christmas
Christmas time usually conjures up joyful images of family and friends celebrating, exchanging gifts, excited chatter and delicious food. For some people, however, it can be a dreaded, sad and lonely time. Marmalade Trust understands how difficult Christmas can be for someone who is struggling with loneliness.
We don’t want anyone to spend Christmas Day alone if they don’t want to, so we invite them to join us for a free festive lunch on the big day, or a doorstep visit. Those who join us (project members) are those who feel particularly lonely and isolated this year, for example, a person of an older age who may have no family or friends around. Everyone is made to feel part of the Marmalade family!​
About the project
Last Christmas...​
In 2024, we are proud to have brought joy and companionship to 200 people experiencing long-term loneliness in our area. Everyone who joined us was made to feel part of our Marmalade family and was supported by our network of over 150 wonderful volunteers.
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One project member told us: "Christmas Day for me was the happiest I have known for years.”
How it all started
Health professional and volunteer, Amy Perrin, knew how tough loneliness and social isolation can be. Through volunteering, Amy met three older people spending Christmas Day alone. Seeing the shortage of Christmas events in Bristol, she took them out herself. Amy was approached by GPs and even a local bank clerk asking if she could include more people, and soon 3 became 18! After Christmas, with a doormat piled high with thank you cards, Amy realised the importance of what had been achieved and Marmalade Trust was born. Amy is our brilliant founder and CEO, and in 2024, she was awarded an OBE for services to older people.
How to get involved all year round...
From sponsored runs to cake sales, fundraising is a brilliant way to support our charity.
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Our VIP guests
Our project members are our VIP guests, and we do whatever we can to make Christmas a joyful time of year for each individual. After months of careful planning, we can't tell you the joy it brings us to see our project members enjoying their Christmas Day. We also love it when our project members call us afterwards and tell us how much fun they had: "I just wanted to extend my gratitude for all the kindness and consideration yesterday. My volunteer was amazing, what a wonderful, lovely lady," one project member expressed. Another said, "Marmalade Trust have been a godsend to me, and I don't know what I would have done without them." These words underline the significance of the connections made and the joy experienced.
