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We really do have a fantastic community at Marmalade Trust and each year we're blown away by the number of kind people who offer their support to spread Christmas Cheer.
What is Marmalade's Christmas Cheer project?
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 (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!
Last year, one member told us: "I made some lovely connections. It was the best Christmas I have had in years, and I can't remember the last time I had a Christmas as nice as this one.”
Here's how you can support our charity this festive season...
Volunteer
We’ve been truly overwhelmed by the kindness of everyone who has offered to volunteer with us this Christmas - thank you! All of our volunteer roles are now filled, but we’re looking for flexible / reserve volunteers who could step in at short notice on Christmas Day if needed (volunteers must be car owners or drivers in Bristol, South Gloucestershire or North Somerset). If you're able to help us with this vital role, please reach out to us at christmas@marmaladetrust.org.
Keen to volunteer but busy at Christmas time? Join our Marmalade Companions project starting in January. Marmalade Companion Mary told us: "I had a great rapport with my volunteer. It has been wonderful. She helped me join a choir and a walking group. My confidence has grown to let me do this on my own." Learn more about the project which supports members to make connections in their community.
Raise funds while you shop
With Give as you Live, every time you purchase something from thousands of online retailers (including M&S and John Lewis) they’ll make a donation to us – at no extra cost to you. Click on the link below, sign up and simply add the extension to your browser when prompted. It takes less than a minute to do. Thank you!
Choose gifts from our Amazon wish list
We're looking for small donations for our hampers and gift bags. Each member receives both a gift bag in the run-up to Christmas and a hamper on Christmas Day, and for many it will be the only gifts they receive - so we like to make them extra special. One of our members last year told us: “Opening up a Christmas hamper, it was my only Christmas present. Someone cared and knew I was still alive; I have none of my own family”.
We put together 200+ hampers and gift bags each year from scratch, so we have set up an Amazon wish list to make collecting donations easy!
Donate to support our Christmas Cheer project
Can you help us to support those experiencing chronic loneliness and isolation to feel connected? The Christmas Cheer project costs a total of over £50,000 and involves over 350 project members and volunteers on Christmas Day. Your donation will make such a meaningful difference to us, whether you donate £1 or £100, every donation matters.
"It means everything to know someone cares. Without Marmalade Trust, I wouldn't have spoken to or seen anyone over Christmas. I'm so grateful."
Have a conversation about loneliness
Our vision is to create a society where loneliness is recognised openly as something we are all likely to experience. One of the first steps to achieve this is to have a frank and honest conversation with someone you trust about times when you might have experienced loneliness, and be open to hearing their experiences too.
If someone you know is lonely, this time of year can be particularly difficult, so it could be a nice idea to gently reach out and let them know you care. You could also have a read of our top tips for making meaningful connections.
Spread the word
Could you use your social network to speak out? Sharing our posts to your social channels is a great way to amplify our important message. You can follow Marmalade Trust on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Instagram.
Get your business or organisation involved in our 1500 Club
The 1500 Club is open to anyone looking to make a difference this Christmas. To join the club, we're asking businesses or organisations to fundraise £1,500 to support the Christmas Cheer project.
Your donation of £1,500 will go directly to helping us bring festive cheer to those who would otherwise be alone, including the cost of a Christmas meal in a local pub or restaurant, and a Christmas hamper filled with treats. For most, this will be the only gift they receive. Find out how to get started here.
Bristol-based recruitment company Alexander Mae joined the club in 2023: "We wanted to support a local charity and felt the Marmalade Trust offers incredible help for loneliness in our community. As a business, we are all about making connections and it’s so great to see a charity helping people who perhaps struggle either with lack of confidence or opportunities to make meaningful connections. If your business is able to support such a fantastic charity – do sign up to their 1500 Club in 2024."
Thank you to everyone who helps us make Christmas a special time of year for those in our community who would otherwise be on their own. You're the best!
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