As we sit down to our turkey this year, pulling crackers and feasting with loved ones, it is easy to forget those who are less fortunate. In 2015, the headlines have once again shown us that human suffering abounds. For many across the UK, festive celebrations will provide a pause to enjoy the company of family and friends, but not for everyone. Rather than feeling guilty about what we have, we can allow our gratitude to inspire us to help others. Donating money to worthy causes is a thoughtful gesture, and one that worthy charities desperately need, but clicking a link without knowing how your contribution will be spent can feel impersonal. This Christmas, you might choose to gift your time, effort, or personal interaction if you are able, or consider asking for one of your holiday gifts to be replaced by a donation in your name. You’ll be making a palpable difference to another human being, and, as an added bonus, you might just fill your own heart with festive cheer and joy — and make friends, get exercise, or learn a new skill. Here are five ways to kick-start those warm, fuzzy feelings.
Get Fit, Do Good
The organisation GoodGym has a simple premise: get fit and do good. Volunteer runners meet up weekly in Bath, Bristol, and in nine areas of London (and counting) and run to community centres and gardens, food banks, neighbourhood playgrounds, and local charities to complete a prearranged task.
Often these tasks, such as weeding, planting bulbs, raking leaves, moving heavy objects, or organising inventory, are something the staff are unable to do on their own. GoodGym’s runners show up ready to pitch in, and they usually finish the task in under half an hour and return another time if not. As a member of the Camden chapter of GoodGym in London, I’ve seen the manager of a food bank holding back tears as she confessed to not knowing what she’d do without our help, one example of many where you can see your contribution making a palpable difference, year-round.
GoodGym is free to join, and comes with the guidance of a qualified trainer who helps you set and reach your personal fitness goals, a platform from which you can go on one-off missions to help vulnerable people, and a GoodGym t-shirt to spread the word. If you’re interested, GoodGym can also pair you with an isolated elderly person known as your “coach”, because you run to visit them for a short time each week. So you may be helping others, but you’re also improving yourself in more ways than one.
Help the Aged
Did the Age UK advert shown on train platforms this year make you tear up in public? Did you sniffle at the Man in the Moon video? If so, you certainly aren’t alone — but over 1 million older people are, and won’t talk to anyone for a month. Ensure that the next time you see these ads, you can rest assured knowing you’ve done something to help. To start, raise awareness and convince the Government to help older people by signing this petition and then check with your local Age UK branch to see if you can become a telephone or in-person “befriender”.
If you want to further strengthen your local community, sign up for Casserole Club, a project that pairs those who can occasionally make an extra portion of food with isolated elderly residents. This is all pros, no cons: it’s easy to add a portion to whatever you’re cooking, you choose your level of time commitment, and you can even suggest a “diner” who you think might benefit from the food and companionship.
Refugee Aid
While the governments of the world debate how to tackle the mass refugee crisis, you can send warmth, shelter, and a bit of relief to refugees in Calais, France, by ordering specially-selected goods that will go directly to those in need. Leisure Fayre’s web shop, in partnership with the organisation Help Refugees, has a selection of sleeping bags (from £16), fleece blankets (£3.60), waterproof trousers for adults and kids (£7.60 and £7), a warm hat (£2), and even a two-person tent (£32). A 20% discount is already included and shipping is free. Even more necessities are listed on Help Refugees’ Amazon wish list. If you’re not able to give cash directly, the charity Refugee Action is registered with websites that let you donate old mobile phones and printer cartridges, or raise funds with every online search you make.
Feed the Hungry
Got part of a day free over the Christmas break? FoodCycle has 20 food recycling projects across the UK where you can donate your time helping to prepare meals (no skills needed!), collecting food donations, or engaging in outreach and fundraising. FoodCycle accepts surplus food from UK supermarkets, which throw away 400,000 tonnes of food each year, and makes meals for residents who are at risk of social isolation and food poverty. Sharpening your skills in the kitchen, making friends, and helping others? Win-win-win.
Volunteer on Christmas Day
This seems like a big ask for those who celebrate Christmas, but if we’re being honest, the 25th of December is filled with hours of lounging around. Dedicating a bit of time to serve food, talk to people, or deliver Christmas boxes with your local Salvation Army can make an impact, physically and emotionally, for people who are homeless or hungry.
If you’re able to dedicate a whole day or two, or have a special skill (dentistry, entertainment, hairdressing, mending, etc.) Crisis.org ’s Crisis at Christmas event provides days of safe, warm, activity-filled shelter, food, and crucial relief for homeless people in the UK from 22nd to 30th of December.
Want even more ways to get involved and give back? Check out Do-it.org, a database of opportunities searchable by filters like interest, location, and skills.
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