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While Christmas is often filled with the warmth of family and festive celebrations, for many, it can be one of the loneliest, most painful days of the year. A time when isolation, loss and grief are even more keenly felt. 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. Everyone is made to feel part of the Marmalade family!
Rebecca's story
After her mother passed away, Rebecca and her family faced the challenge of creating new Christmas traditions. Looking for a way to give back, she found Marmalade Trust, which allowed her family to volunteer together.
Rebecca, her husband, and their 14-year-old daughter spent Christmas Day delivering hampers and sharing a doorstep chat with two members, both of whom deeply appreciated the visits. The experience filled a gap on what could have been a difficult day for her family. They enjoyed volunteering so much that they’ve decided to make it a Christmas tradition.
“It was really nice,” Rebecca shared, “and it demonstrated to my daughter the importance of volunteering. We'll make it part of our Christmas Day every year, and what's great about the doorstep visits is we can easily make them fit around Christmas Day plans as a family. We enjoyed breakfast and presents, brought some festive cheer to our Marmalade members, and still had Christmas dinner on the table by 1:30pm."
Rebecca also stepped out of her comfort zone by speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live with Colin Murray on Christmas Day. "I was nervous, but it was great to talk about Marmalade Trust and the importance of Christmas Cheer. It also helped me keep busy on Christmas Day."
Rebecca continued to volunteer with Marmalade into the New Year with our Companions project. She was matched with Lesley for the project which involves volunteers empowering and supporting members to new activities, social connections and friendships in their local community.
"I got a lot from it," Rebecca said. "Lesley and I live in the same village, and he taught me a lot about local history. We discussed walking groups, jazz clubs, and other local activities. Our conversations seemed to inspire him. He even felt motivated to reconnect with family members he hadn’t spoken to in years. We enjoyed talking, and he recommended the project to a friend of his. It was great to meet him in person at the Summer Party. He particularly enjoyed the live music!"
Rebecca added, "The projects really filled a void for me. I used to call my grandad every single day, twice a day, and regularly talk to my mum on the phone too. After he passed, I suddenly had no one to phone. The projects really made a difference, not just for the members but for me as well."
Looking ahead to her second year of volunteering, Rebecca reflected on the positive impact it’s had on her family: "I love that Marmalade Trust is a local charity with national and international reach. I thought I was doing this to help others, but I’ve gotten so much out of it too. It’s filled a gap for both of us."
"Volunteering pushed me out of my comfort zone, but it’s been such a lovely thing to do. I'd like to think my daughter will volunteer when she'd older. I think it’s inspired her and she'd be great at it!"
Join our volunteer family
Each year, our small team at Marmalade HQ are overwhelmed with how many kind people offer their time to support their community. Through our Christmas Cheer and Marmalade Companion projects, we reach out to those most at risk of loneliness, guiding them to vital support and empowering them to make new friendships and connections.
Joining us as a volunteer not only changes lives but also offers a chance to forge lasting friendships, enjoy meaningful experiences, and truly connect with your community. We are so grateful for the kindness and generosity of our volunteers, many of whom have been with us since the beginning! Marmalade volunteers say they feel supported and valued and enjoy meeting new, like-minded people.
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