Homelessness charity Crisis launches ‘hybrid’ mix of support over Christmas.
Following the pandemic, the homelessness charity has transformed the way it provides both its Christmas and year-round services.
This year, staff at Crisis Skylight Merseyside will be providing a ‘hybrid’ mix of online and in-person events aimed at providing support and helping guests take their first steps out of homelessness.
The Skylight will provide activities and trips including, theatre and cinema visits, health walks, art classes and coffee catch ups for people experiencing homelessness in Merseyside.
Crisis will also offer gift hampers full of treats and social telephone calls Skylight members.
In total, 25 volunteers will help Crisis deliver its services in Merseyside.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Crisis providing vital Christmas services for people experiencing homelessness at one of the toughest times of year. Crisis Skylight Merseyside is one of 11 centres across Great Britain which provides services and support to thousands of people experiencing homelessness every year to help them take their first steps out of homelessness.
The charity relies on the generosity of its supporters to provide services for people experiencing homelessness. To make a donation, please go to www.crisis.org.uk/support.
Merseyside Skylight director Sharron McGuinness said: “No one should be homeless and alone at Christmas. It’s not right that anyone should spend the holidays rough sleeping, in temporary accommodation or separated from friends and family.
“Crisis works to support people at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness all year round, but Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for people experiencing homelessness.
“Covid has meant we’ve made some changes to our Christmas services to ensure we can keep our members, volunteers and staff safe, but that will not stop us from working with our volunteers to offer support to people in Merseyside.
“We don’t want, or intend, to be here delivering our Christmas services in another 50 years. We know it’s within our reach to end homelessness altogether – and what’s happened during the pandemic has reinforced that – but until that time comes, we’ll still be here at Christmas and all year-round helping people directly out of homelessness and campaigning for the social changes needed to end it altogether.”
About Crisis
Crisis is the national charity for homeless people. At Christmas and throughout the year, we help people directly out of homelessness, and campaign for the social changes needed to solve it altogether.
This Christmas marks the 50th anniversary of Crisis at Christmas. Over the last half a decade, thousands upon thousands of volunteers have given their time to provide people experiencing homelessness with warmth, companionship and vital services at one of the toughest times of the year.
We don’t want, or intend, to be here delivering our Christmas services in another 50 years. Ending homelessness is within our reach – and what’s happened during the pandemic has reinforced that. But until that time comes, we’re still determined to be there for those who need us to provide a safe place to stay, companionship, food, and advice and support for a future away from homelessness.
Together we will end homelessness. To find out more about us, and how you can support please visit our website.
