As Christmas approaches, leading homelessness charity St Mungo’s has hosted a festive wrapping day at one of their Bristol services.
With the help of 36 volunteers, around 340 presents were wrapped by volunteers on November 28th, before being distributed to people experiencing homelessness in Bristol who are supported by the charity.
The Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Henry Michallat also joined volunteers and staff to help raise further awareness of the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness in Bristol.
Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, a wide range of gifts were donated and wrapped. These will be shared with people supported through St Mungo’s services in Bristol — from those sleeping rough to individuals now living in supported accommodation or specialist housing.
All donations were guided by a list of useful items compiled by St Mungo’s frontline teams, ensuring gifts meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness. Presents included warm clothing such as hats and gloves, bathroom toiletries and gifts such as books, crafts, chocolates, and other snacks, all donated by local businesses and supporters.
Volunteers included staff from The Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS), Baker Hughes, HTC, Bristol City Leap, Vattenfall, Turner and Townsend, S&W Group, Colliers, Burges Salmon, Ashfords, and Goram Homes.
St Mungo’s Bristol-based teams provide vital services in the city including street outreach, rough sleeping prevention, and specialist supported housing, helping people rebuild their lives and move away from homelessness for good.
Alex Henden, Community and Events Manager at St Mungo’s said: “As Christmas approaches and temperatures drop, life becomes even harder for people sleeping rough in Bristol. The festive season can also be a challenging time for many of those we support, particularly for people who have complex family relationships or have experienced bereavement.
We hope these gifts serve as a small reminder that they are not alone, and that support is always available. We’re incredibly grateful to our volunteers for giving their time today and helping us wrap and distribute more than 340 presents across Bristol. This also wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of local businesses who kindly donated gifts, and we truly appreciate their support.”
The Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Henry Michallat said: “As Lord Mayor, I am proud to support St Mungo’s and their vital work to combat homelessness right across Bristol, especially at Christmas, when compassion and community matter most.”
Matt Trevett, Managing Director at The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS), a St Mungo’s charity partner, said: “We are delighted to support St Mungo’s in helping those experiencing or recovering from homelessness, especially at this time of year.
The charity’s outreach to people in the most vulnerable of circumstances resonates strongly with our employees, many of whom live in the city, and a number of whom are here today. We are proud to support St Mungo’s year-round goal to address the immediate and longer-term causes of homelessness.”
The DPS is based in Bristol, where St Mungo’s also operates. In addition to Bristol, the homelessness charity also runs services in London, Reading, Oxford, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, and Brighton.
