Our social action teams: supporting people at Christmas
Our teams across all of our services are busy preparing to support people through the Christmas period.
Here, Craig, who leads our social action services, tells us more about how they are helping people locally…
What does your role at Caritas involve?
My role is to support and ensure the smooth running of the social action projects, while contributing to the overall mission of our charity. It’s important that the team have the resources to complete their own projects supporting the people (or the land!) that will benefit from them.
What is Christmas like in your services?
Social action projects are varied and so Christmas for each team is not the same.
Those working in the Lalley Centre will have the chance to decorate the centre and the pantry to share the festive feelings for people who come in. Other teams work in different locations so they will share in the celebration and atmosphere of all the places that they visit!
How do you support local people at this time of year?
In the build-up to Christmas services are more acutely aware of the demands that are put on families and people to provide and prepare for their own celebrations. This means that money and food become more and more thinly stretched but very focused in people’s minds.
Our support involves increasing income or reducing bills and becomes so important during this time. We also have projects which support and raise awareness for people with accessibility needs or disabilities for whom this time of year can become increasingly difficult as parties, invites and celebrations (often unintentionally) remind people of the things that they cannot do or cannot be part of. Here, our role continues from January – reminding services, people and parishes how to plan to be as inclusive as possible from the very beginning and not be an afterthought or just for Christmas!
Are you seeing more people who need support coming to your services?
Requests and need for support always increases from when the schools go back in September. Once that happens, people naturally start to think about and make preparations for Christmas so they plan support. Those who attend our sessions or groups often gain more from being present and the need to be in a community and connecting with others is felt quite strongly.
Why are appeals like the Advent appeal so important?
It is a time of year where we can all get caught up in our own plans for our families and presents and planning for meals. If we can’t do that then it can make us feel really alone and have serious impact on our mental health.
Our Advent appeal has differing impacts: it reminds us to think of others at a time when we get super busy; it reminds us that we are not alone – whatever our own situation, someone will be having similar experiences; and, it reminds us to give what we can in support of those offering help, choice and connection.
What would you say to people considering supporting our charity this Christmas?
If you can, what are you waiting for?
If you’ve not yet seen our Bee There Advent appeal animation – you can watch it below now, and please donate if you can.
Every penny really does help us support more local people like those our teams work alongside in Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
Thank you.
To find out more about this year’s #BeeThere appeal, take a look at this page on our website: www.caritassalford.org.uk/beethere