Cambridge charity launches its annual Christmas appeal for the homeless
Your donation to Wintercomfort could help a homeless person eat a cooked breakfast for a week
Cambridge charity Wintercomfort launched its annual Christmas appeal for the homeless with the help of the mayor George Pippas at St John’s Chop House.
The appeal comes at a time when a record number of people are turning to the charity for help.
Last year they supported a record 763 men and women, a nine per cent rise on the previous year, and this figure is set to continue to escalate with many more vulnerable people needing their support.
Their work continues all year round and they need £750,000 for running costs alone.
Simon Pickering, the charity’s fundraising and communication coordinator, said: “Our greatest satisfaction is seeing the difference we have made to someone’s life, people like Stuart, 51, who spent long periods sleeping under a bridge and was in and out of hostels in Cambridge.
“One day, he realised he wanted to live a different life and, with our support, he turned his life around.
“Recently he moved into his own flat and is now looking forward to a new positive future and making plans.”
A donation of £14 will buy a cooked breakfast for a rough sleeper for a week; £40 will pay for laundry powder for a month while £100 will provide professional job skills training for a day.
Last year the Cambridge Independent helped raise £14,000 for the charity and Mr Pickering added: “Any donation is hugely appreciated.”
Visit wintercomfort.org.uk/christmas to help.