Christmas Appeals From News Brands Underway
Local, regional and national news brands across the UK are encouraging readers to donate and support charitable causes over Christmas.
The Guardian and Observer’s Christmas appeal raised £200,000 in only five days after the appeal launched. The appeal is raising funds for charity partners, Citizens Advice and Locality, who provide vital aid to those struggling during the cost of living crisis, through foodbanks and warm rooms, to debt and housing advice, as well as mental health support. Guardian and Observer readers have contributed over £10 million to charitable causes since the annual appeal started.
The Camden New Journal have launched their annual Christmas hamper appeal for Camden residents struggling during the festive season. The Journal said: “Bringing people together has always been a key function of a local newspaper like the New Journal. We would like to thank everybody who has donated so far, but with the countdown to Christmas now really on, it’s time for the final push.”
This year, the Times and Sunday Times partnered with Help Magic Breakfast, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and Afghanaid. Journalists from both titles have visited the charities to speak to those who have benefited from the charities’ aid, highlighting the vital work they carry out and inviting readers to donate to their appeal. The Prince of Wales has also supported the appeal, urging readers to support the work of the suicide prevention group CALM.
The Hereford Times have joined forces with Herefordshire Vennture raising funds to support local families over the holiday.
After raising near £700k last year, the Telegraph launched their Christmas charity appeal in partnership with four charities, raising funds for Age UK, Action for Children, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Royal British Legion Industries. This year the appeal shines a spotlight on the impact of the cost of living crisis on its charity partners. For over 100 years, the Telegraph has run its Christmas appeals, raising close to £30 million.
The Glasgow Times launched their ‘Bank On Us’ campaign with a front page splash, urging its readers to help support those struggling in their local community over Christmas. The news brand partnered with numerous foodbanks across Glasgow, including paper bags with every copy of the Times at the beginning of December to encourage readers to donate.
Stacey Mullen, assistant editor at the Glasgow Times, said: “The Glasgow Times is proud to continue our Bank on Us campaign and support city food banks during the cost of living crisis. We know through serving our communities how hard food banks work to help some of the city’s most vulnerable.
“We hope through this campaign, our readers can ensure that their stock levels are boosted in time for Christmas. It is also a privilege to run a separate Christmas toy appeal to help struggling families over the festive period.”
The joint campaign ‘On the Breadline’ from the Evening Standard and Independent hit the £3 million mark this week. In partnership with Comic Relief, the appeal aims to raise money for community projects across the country, supporting those worst affected by the cost of living crisis.
The campaign has seen support from the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan as well as from the Princess of Wales. Voicing her support of the campaign, the Princess said: “As millions of people face increasingly difficult times over the coming months, it has never been more important for us to support families who are working so hard to protect their children from the devastating impact of food and energy insecurity.
“Thank you to the Evening Standard, your partners and your readers, who have been so generous in the first week of this incredibly important Christmas campaign.”
The Daily Mirror is calling on its readers to support their Warm Hearts Christmas appeal, raising money for the Warm Welcome project, coordinated by the charity coalition The Good Faith Partnership, which provides safe, warm community spaces for those in need. The appeal has seen support from former prime minister Gordon Brown, thanking readers for their support.
The charity appeal from the Manchester Evening News to help tackle hunger in Greater Manchester, has smashed its target, having now raised over £4,000. MEN teamed up with food bank Humans MCR to support communities in the local area.
The i’s Christmas Appeal has also smashed their target this year, raising £130k in aid of the Rainbow Trust, a charity that provides support to families whose children suffer from serious illnesses. Last year, the i raised over £125k for the charity.
Zillah Bingley, chief executive of the Rainbow Trust, said: “The i Christmas appeal has been an incredible opportunity for Rainbow Trust. For the appeal to have raised 40 per cent more than our initial fundraising target is more than we could possibly have hoped for.
“We have been really touched by how generously readers have backed the campaign and engaged with Rainbow Trust and our vital work supporting families with a life-threatened child.
“It has been a real highlight for me as chief executive and for the whole team to be involved with this partnership and Rainbow Trust will be forever grateful to i and its readers for their remarkable support.”
The Northamptonshire Telegraph have also encouraged their readers to donate toys and gifts for their annual gift appeal for the county’s disadvantaged children – an appeal the news brand has supported for nearly twenty years.