SVP launches 'gift of kindness' Christmas appeal

The St Vincent de Paul Society is urging people across England and Wales to “give the gift of kindness” this Christmas as it launches its Christmas Kindness Appeal.

The appeal, which launches on Giving Tuesday on 30 November and runs throughout December, will raise money for the SVP’s work at grassroots level, and thanks to the generosity of some of the Society’s major donors, all donations received to the Christmas Kindness Appeal will be matched pound-for-pound up to a total value of £45,000.

SVP national president Helen O’Shea said: “Every Christmas many of us spend time searching for the perfect gift to give our loved ones, and all too often end up giving them something they don’t really need, or perhaps even want. But make a donation to the SVP this Christmas and you can be sure you are giving someone who has very little exactly what they need most.

“We know that is true because we spend time with every person we help and support, listening to them, understanding their situation and finding out how we can best help them cope with the challenges in their lives.

“So, whether it’s a piece of furniture in a child’s bedroom, an emergency food parcel for a hungry family, or a cup of tea with a lonely older person, we’ll turn every donation into the perfect gift.”

Though the national economic landscape is stabilising, millions are struggling to cope as they are left behind financially following the end of the £20-a-week rise in Universal Credit. Low pay and the rising cost of living is increasing incidences of in-work poverty, and the toll this can takes on mental health.

According to figures from the Legatum Institute, poverty in the UK is a “significant long-term issue”. The figures suggest that before  the pandemic, more than one in five people in the UK, 22 per cent, lived in families in poverty, which equates to 14.4 million people.

The situation is predicted to get worse for millions, with official Government figures on poverty not expected until 2022.

The Christmas Kindness Appeal will fund the work of the SVP in communities across England and Wales. The SVP’s support for anyone in need encompasses everything from food parcels and hot meals to befriending, the provision of furniture, and advice with benefits.

O’Shea said: “When you donate to the SVP this year, you can be sure you will be giving the perfect gift to someone who really, really needs it, because you will be giving the gift of kindness.”

Meanwhile, in Ireland, Bishop Fintan Monahan of Killaloe commended the “outstanding work” of the Society of St Vincent de Paul as the charity revealed that it has seen a record number of calls for assistance due to the pandemic and the soaring cost of living. 

Launching its annual appeal, SVP Ireland national president Rose McGowan said that calls for help this year will be at their highest level in the SVP’s history and could reach almost 200,000 by the end of December.

Earlier this year the SVP commissioned a RED C Poll on the financial impact of Covid. It found that a significant proportion of Irish society are facing a multitude of financial pressures due to the pandemic. 

These include loss of income, increased household expenditure on basics, erosion of savings to meet ordinary living expenses, falling behind on bills and being forced to cut back on essentials like food, heating and electricity. 

One-in-four people reported cutting back on food and utilities due to pandemic, and almost one-in-ten tenants reported falling behind on their rent.

Rose McGowan said that the situation for those struggling financially has since worsened with massive increases in energy costs and living expenses.

“We are facing a perfect storm for families contending with a cost-of-living crisis on multiple fronts. Energy prices are soaring, we are seeing rents rise well beyond what people can afford and increasing transport costs are also putting pressure on low-income households,” she warned.