We are pleased to announce that we beat our target to raise more than £30,000 to tackle homelessness with our Christmas 2021 appeal. This was despite another tough year for community fundraising, and the fact that our popular annual street fundraising collections had to be cancelled due to Covid concerns.
The money raised will support First Base, our resource centre for people facing homelessness in Brighton and Hove. First Base offers rough sleepers practical essentials such as food and drink, showers and clean dry clothes, alongside in-depth advice and support to move them away from homelessness for good. More than 700 people used the centre’s services last year.
First Base continued to welcome people over the festive period including on Christmas Day and we have managed to keep its doors open throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with measures in place to keep everyone safe. We have adapted what we offer as different needs have emerged, for example providing support to large numbers of people living in temporary accommodation.
Debbie Piper, Deputy Manager at First Base, said:
Our dedicated staff team ensured that people who were facing homelessness over the Christmas period could continue to access our support, including a Christmas meal and a warm welcome which was provided at a time that is particularly difficult for many. We like to go the extra mile; when one 76-year-old client missed our Christmas meal and told us that was his only chance of eating a turkey roast dinner, we agreed to cook another a week later, which he really enjoyed and was extremely grateful for.
Jo Berry, Head of Business Development at BHT Sussex, said:
We are so grateful to everyone who has supported our Christmas appeal. First Base is such an important resource for people facing homelessness in our city, and it is thanks to our generous supporters that we can keep it running. The funds we have raised through our Christmas appeal will allow us to reach more people with life-changing support, not just at Christmas but throughout the whole year. Huge thanks to everyone who donated to the appeal or took time out to fundraise for us.
We would also like to thank local company Big Egg Films, who once again kindly created and donated a video about the work of First Base to support our appeal. You can watch that video here.
If you missed out on donating and would still like to, you can donate to support our work here.
