It’s been a tough year for so many in our communities and for those facing the added hardship of surviving the winter without a home or regular meal or help with mental and wellbeing issues, it’s going to be tougher still. So this year, as a business, together with other organisations in our group, we have decided to invest or corporate Christmas present fund in support for those charities and initiatives that provide vital help to the homeless in our communities, across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, and which may have struggled to raise funds, because of the pandemic. This year, above all others, it felt more important and appropriate for us to offer practical and immediate assistance to our communities and those in greatest need.
Our wonderful Luton and Stopsley branches, along with Neville Funerals’ sister companies, Neville Trust, Neville Special Projects and Neville Joinery, have chosen to support the NOAH Enterprise, a charity which seeks to help out the most disadvantaged in the local community. Particularly, it is concerned with providing a practical, empowering and caring service to people who are homeless particularly those who are temporary or entrenched rough sleepers, and those who are marginalised and socially excluded, or have simply fallen into poverty.
The branches are also supporting Sign Posts, a charity which supports homeless and vulnerable people in Luton and Dunstable. For over 30 years, the charity has provided residential and supporting services to anyone who is unable to find suitable accommodation to meet their needs.
Lisa Seccombe Head of Fundraising and Business Development at NOAH Enterprise said: “I am writing to thank you and your teams for so generously contributing a £1,500 donation to NOAH, we were delighted to receive this.
“Your support has never been so timely and vital because as we continue our work across Luton and Bedfordshire – with the ongoing determination to make things better for people experiencing poverty and homelessness in the town, it becomes more and more apparent how we rely on generous donations such as yours. Last year we helped 225 people into Accommodation with 58 more people helped to avoid Eviction. 77 people were assisted into Employment and 211 people were supported to engage with Meaningful Occupation/Training/Work.
“Coronavirus has changed lots of things for NOAH and for our clients and of course meant that everyone is under more stress and often in difficult and unknown situations. We remain determined to innovate and have stayed open every single day of 2020 so that we are here for those who have nowhere else to turn.”
Our Luton and Stopsley branches are also collecting much needed supplies for the Noah Enterprise and Sign Posts and has set up a donation box for staff and local people to be able to contribute if they can.
They are looking for donations of the following items: hats, gloves, scarves, new pants and socks, tins of meat or fish or vegetables and new sealed toiletries and will accept items up until 14th December.
The boxes will be placed in the reception areas of each branch with safety and social distancing measures in place for those that want to drop in with donations.
If you would like to donate directly to these charities, further details can be found on their websites
www.noahenterprise.org www.signpostsso.org