Let’s celebrate acts of kindness on Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday, which this year takes place on 1 December, has become a worldwide fundraising phenomenon since its launch in 2012. It currently holds the world record for the most money raised online for charity in 24 hours, and it raised over £14.2 million for UK causes last year. That’s a huge boost for the charitable sector in this country.

For the first time, the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) is joining the Giving Tuesday campaign. It is widely seen as a compassionate counterpoint to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and with support coming from luminaries such as Sir Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellen, Michelle Obama, Stephen Fry, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, among others, it has the gravitas to match its compassion.

A secret benefactor has promised to match, pound-for-pound, any donation made to the St SVP on Giving Tuesday, which means we can make a real difference to the lives of the most vulnerable in our communities.

We have chosen own national campaign, Rise to the Challenge, to spearhead the SVP’s Giving Tuesday push, with funds going towards our Covid-19 Recovery Programme. Our Rise to the Challenge campaign patron, ITV newscaster Julie Etchingham, recently said the “outstanding work of SVP members is needed more than ever” as the UK remains in the grasp of the pandemic.

Covid-19 has changed our way of life, and for some of the most vulnerable people it has been devastating. Increased financial pressures, a growing sense of isolation and the constant fear of infection have contributed to a decline in the mental health of the nation. Giving Tuesday offers an opportunity to redress the balance and give something positive back to our communities.

The SVP continues to offer support, both emotional and practical, under lockdown and beyond. Befriending lies at the heart of our service. This simple, yet powerful act of kindness is needed more today than at any time in the SVP’s almost 190-year history, and helps to overcome loneliness, demonstrate solidarity and improve mental well-being.

The SVP is also fighting food poverty and the prejudice surrounding it. We have seen a three-fold increase in requests for food in the period from March to October this year. Similarly, the Trussell Trust received 1.9 million requests for food parcels in the year to March 2020, with figures expected to increase significantly as the financial fallout from the pandemic bites the country’s economy. The SVP has stepped up its food parcel service, along with ‘knock and drop’ deliveries for those who are unable to go to shops for basic items and medication.

For the UK’s rough sleepers the pandemic has dealt a catastrophic blow. According to a study in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine, outbreaks of Covid-19 “in homeless settings can lead to a high attack rate among people experiencing homelessness, even if incidence remains low in the general population.” As the winter reduces temperatures, the SVP is handing out ‘Vinnie Packs’, providing essentials such as warm clothing, hygiene basics and information on well-being. The packs have become a lifeline for thousands living on the streets.

For most of us, 2020 has been one of the most challenging years on record, but Giving Tuesday is a way of ending the year on a positive note by giving something back to charities, such as the SVP, who have supported communities through the darkest times. It is predicted that the charity sector faces a £10 billion funding shortfall this year due to charity shop closures and limited fundraising activities, however the demand for charitable services is greater than ever.

We are a world of 7.8 billion and we have more in common than you might imagine. We all need the same things; food, shelter, warmth and love, but sadly there is an ever-increasing number who are hungry, homeless, cold and lonely. Giving Tuesday is our chance to redress that balance. For one day let’s unite for the good of our neighbours, communities and those we have yet to meet who might need our support. Let’s celebrate the act of giving something back, making a difference, changing a life, or simply showing kindness.

The SVP is joining more than 3,000 charities and partner organisations in calling for anyone who wants to demonstrate unity for their community and their compassion to volunteer their time, donate money or goods, share skills, or become a member of a charitable organisation, such as the SVP. If you care about the people in your community, if you want to make a difference, and if you want to put your positivity into action, please donate to the SVP’s Rise to the Challenge campaign, visit www.svp.org.uk/rise, @SVPEnglandWales (#SVPRiseChallenge) or telephone 020 7703 3030. Together we can make our communities stronger.

Helen O'Shea is president of St Vincent de Paul Society.