06 February 2012
The Surviving Winter Appeal launched in November with the support of Saga has proved to be an amazing success: so far over £2million has been raised from people who donated to help older and vulnerable people get through the winter.
Community Foundation Network is delighted to report that The Surviving Winter Appeal launched in November with the support of Saga has proved to be an amazing success: so far over £2million has been raised from people who donated to help older and vulnerable people get through the winter. The sum raised will help at least 20,000 vulnerable people across the UK as the winter weather intensifies.
Stephen Hammersley, CFN’s chief executive, comments: “The response to the Surviving Winter Appeal and the overwhelming generosity of the British public has been fantastic, and means that community foundations, working with local charities and community organisations, are helping thousands of people this winter.”
He continued: “We’re helping individuals by awarding grants when they are unable to afford their fuel bills as well as small local charitable organisations working with older and vulnerable people - local stroke clubs, lunch clubs, community centres, community transport schemes and faith groups. For example, in Dorset, £500 provided crisis funding to an 80 year old partially sighted woman who was threatened with having her sole source of heating and cooking supply turned off just before Christmas. The £500 crisis funding prevented this from happening.”
The campaign has attracted much high profile support. Dame Helen Mirren says: “When I heard about the Surviving Winter Appeal I wanted to be involved and was happy to donate because I believe passionately that we need to support the vulnerable and elderly in our local communities. Those who can afford to should be encouraged to help those more need and it is wonderful to be part of such a caring initiative right across the country.”
Other supporters of the campaign include Joanna Lumley, Vivien Westwood, Gloria Hunniford, Sir Stuart Rose, June Whitfield, Dame Vera Lynn, Peter Stringfellow, Sir Michael Parkinson, Sir David Jason and Ann Widdecombe.
Community foundations all over the UK are the co-ordinators of the campaign. They link donors to expert local organisations that meet community needs and have a very strong track record in delivering large national collections: Comic Relief's £6m community grants, the Big Lottery's £50m Fair Share Trust programme and the Evening Standard’s £7m Dispossessed Fund among many others.
Every single pound donated to the Surviving Winter Appeal is reaching someone facing fuel poverty this winter. It gets there through small local charitable organisations working with older and vulnerable people and ensures the people most in need of help can afford to stay warm, eat well and remain mobile, as well as help them in practical ways such as ensuring they can make doctor's appointments, get to the shops, and maintain an active social life.
You can donate online or through your local community foundation.