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 lovely Woburn Sands branch has chosen to support the Winter Night Shelter MK, a charity which aims to relive poverty, distress and homelessness. For the last 10 years the WNSMK has been providing supervised overnight accommodation and meals to homeless and vulnerable people who would otherwise be rough sleeping in Milton Keynes during the coldest months of the year.
Sara, Karen and Sam, the Communications and Fundraising Team at Winter Night Shelter MK said: “Thank you so much for your support to us and your kind and generous donation of £500. We rely on kind donations and fundraising to be able to help rough sleepers and the vulnerable.
“The end of this winter season was like no other before it. We had to close our emergency accommodation early before the nationwide lockdown began on 23rd March and urgently find our homeless guests a safe place to stay. In the weeks and months following we have been providing emergency food relief and welfare support to those who have no other source of help.”
Our Woburn Sands branch is also collecting much needed supplies for the Winter Night Shelter MK 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 this charity, further details can be found on the website www.winternightsheltermk.com