CHRISTMAS 2020
Online donations (+ Gift Aid): Individuals can donate to us online, using Givey. Just click on the logo above to be taken directly to our donations page. Givey enables UK taxpayers to use Gift Aid to increase the value of their donation by 25%.
Cash: Please put into an envelope and give directly to a Trustee. Receipts will be issued as soon as possible after a cash donation is made. UK taxpayers may also increase their donation by 25% using Gift Aid - please print out and complete our Gift Aid form to enable this.
Cheque: Please make cheques payable to: Christmas Care. Cheques may be sent to: Treasurer - Christmas Care, c/o 8 Hadrians Close, Swindon SN3 4BE. UK taxpayers may also increase their donation by 25% using Gift Aid - please print out and complete our Gift Aid form to enable this.
Direct to our account:
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Bank: Barclays Bank, Regent Street, Swindon, SN1 1QB
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Sort code: 20-84-58
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Account number: 00884219
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Account name: Thamesdown Christians Against Homelessness Christmas Care
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Reference: Please use your name
DONATIONS OF MONEY
We are very grateful to accept donations of money at any time of year, but particularly in the run up to Christmas when the expenses of running Christmas Care start to mount.
How to donate money
2020 at Christmas Care will be very different from how we have operated for many years. This page covers our location and volunteering. Information on donations this year is here.
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We will operate the Christmas Care service from a different venue.
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We will be very limited in terms of the number of guests allowed. It is likely to be a maximum of ten guests, strictly booked in and out.
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In a normal year, we operate for four days, 24/7. Our opening hours this year will be much shorter, and there will be no overnight accommodation. We shall also be operating for twice as long as usual - eight days over the Christmas period.
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We are aiming to provide two hot meals a day (breakfast and lunch), with the facility being closed and cleaned between them. After the second session, we intend to provide take-away bags with food for an evening meal.
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We will not be able to provide the ancillary services - showers, clean clothing, hair cuts, etc - we usually have.
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To maintain social distancing, there will also be a much smaller number of volunteers needed.
Where will Christmas Care be this year?
The Haven (run by Swindon Nightshelter - link) has very kindly agreed to let us use their premises for this year's Christmas Care. The premises are already familiar to many of our guests.
To find the location on Google maps: map link. There is a small parking area in front of the building. Anyone coming to the Centre must NOT block the access to the ambulance station, which is adjacent.
When will the project be open?
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Tuesday 22nd December until Tuesday 29th December.
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On Christmas Day, the opening times for guests will be:
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9-11am (when a hot breakfast will be offered); and
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12 noon - 3pm (Christmas lunch will be served from 1pm).
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On all other days, the opening times for guests will be:
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9-11am (with breakfast); and
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2-4pm (when a hot, home-cooked lunch will be served).
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Volunteer shifts will include time before and after our opening times to prepare for guests and then sanitise the premises, in accordance with best practice.
Volunteering
We have needed far fewer volunteers this year than usual. To give the best possible service to our guests, we have worked primarily with those who already have recent experience with Christmas Care and are familiar with the project.
Next year: For people who had hoped to volunteer for Christmas Care this year, we do hope that you will consider us again next year, when we hope things will be back to normal.