HOMELESSNESS IS NOT JUST FOR CHRSTMAS
As the weather turns colder and the evenings grow darker, most of us shift our focus toward Christmas, time with loved ones, festive meals, shopping for gifts, and creating moments of joy for those we cherish.
Meanwhile, in the doorway of a quiet street, a solitary homeless person sits with a cup of coffee, cold and withdrawn. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, many people stop to offer food, spare change, or warm gifts in the spirit of the season.
But once the decorations come down and the January sales begin, the scene changes. Shoppers pass by with their bags, their minds absorbed in everyday life. Christmas becomes a distant memory, and the generous spirit we associate with it fades. But should it?
Across the country, the reality is the same. The cost-of-living crisis, rising fuel and food prices, and increasing evictions have reshaped homelessness in profound ways. For rough sleepers, nothing changes when the calendar turns from December to January. The cold remains. The loneliness remains. The struggle remains.
We speak often of Christmas as “The Season of Goodwill,” inspired by Dickens’ reminder that compassion can transform lives. Yet many of us slip back into routine as soon as the holiday ends. Homelessness is not a festive theme, it is a year-round reality, though it has long been woven into holiday stories and traditions.
Every December, we are deeply moved by the kindness shown to our rough sleepers and the vulnerable community we work with week after week. Your donations from our Wishlist are overwhelming, and your generosity carries people through the coldest months. We are truly grateful.
But when January arrives, our phones fall silent. Offers of help fade. Fundraising drops away. It raises a difficult question: does giving in December help us feel we’ve “done our part” for the year? And if so, why?
During Christmas week, we often have to turn down offers of help, and we apologise. Our volunteers must be fully trained and DBS-checked to keep our clients safe. Good intentions matter, but safety and stability matter even more.
So why do we pour all our efforts into a small window of the year, then step back for the remaining 364 days? Volunteering brings purpose and fulfilment, so why limit that feeling to Christmas?
At Newbury Soup Kitchen, our volunteers serve up to 150 people every week across three sessions. Beyond meals, we provide outreach, support, and a lifeline through the dedication of our founder and CEO, Meryl, outreach and case workers, and operations manager Lou. Homelessness doesn’t pause after Christmas, and neither do we.
That’s why we ask our incredible community to continue its compassion throughout the year. Many charities work tirelessly every day, often with limited funds, volunteers, and supplies. Reach out. Ask how you can help. Small acts of kindness, spread across the weeks and months, create real, lasting change. Christmas may come once a year, but the need does not and neither should our kindness.
The team would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has supported us and our clients through the year and this Christmas. We all wish you a Merry, Merry Christmas x