Our recent Christmas fundraising campaign was a big success as we beat our £30,000 target to raise £31,977! All the money raised will go to First Base Day Centre to help people in Brighton and Hove who are sleeping rough. At First Base, people can access practical essentials such as hot food, showers and clean dry clothes, alongside in-depth advice and support to move away from homelessness for good. It acts as a hub for different partners in the city and offers a range of support services, from physical and mental health support to help with securing qualifications and employment.
First Base is in high demand and we supported 560 people in the past year. According to Shelter, 1 in 77 people in Brighton and Hove are experiencing homelessness so our support is vital.
We received support for our fundraising campaign in a myriad of ways. Many events were held across the city, such as a high energy rave hosted by Evikted Audio at Waterbear, a carol singalong at the Chimney House pub and a more traditional carol service by candlelight at St Nicholas Church.
Beyond events, we once again sold our popular charity Christmas cards on our website and at Stanley Road Store. The cards featured art by clients, staff and supporters. They were popular again this year and all profits went to our campaign, thanks to Mid Sussex Scaffolding covering the cost of printing.
Our street collection was back this year as clients from our Addiction Services headed out into Brighton, dressed in festive costumes, to fill up our donation buckets. They did an excellent job at encouraging people to dig deep and raised over £200 in one afternoon.
The majority of the money raised came from individuals making donations via our website. Collectively, our supporters made a big impact and ensured we exceeded our target of £30,000. Every penny will help First Base cover its day to day running costs such as the purchase of food, paying the heating bill and contributing towards staff wages. Thank you to everyone who donated and thank you to our fundraisers!
We appreciate donations at any time of the year so if you would like to become a monthly donor, please head to this page of our website to find out more. If you would like to fundraise for us this year, email us fundraising@bht.org.uk for help and advice.
