POSITIVE NEWS - Five ways businesses are giving back this Christmas
Posted 11th December 2020 • Written by www.positive.news • • • • •
Companies across the UK are finding creative ways to support charities this Christmas, as demand skyrockets due to the pandemic
Christmas is traditionally a time for giving, not just to loved ones but to those less fortunate, with many people choosing to donate to charity or volunteer during the festive season. This year? Demand for support from charities is higher than ever.
Almost 700,000 people in the UK have been plunged into poverty as a result of the Covid-fueled economic crisis, according to analysis by the thinktank The Legatum Institute. It means that many face their very first Christmas in need of state support, or even being homeless. A rise in mental health problems has been called the ‘silent pandemic’. Meanwhile, some charities report huge financial losses due to charity shops being forced to shut and other crucial fundraising activities being stunted due to lockdowns and local restrictions.
In response, many businesses are stepping up their usual charitable activities. Here are five ways in which companies are are helping those in need.
1. Donating Christmas party money
The traditional boozy office Christmas party is off the cards for a lot of businesses this year.
Social enterprise Beam surveyed 500 UK business owners and found that just 22 per cent are planning to go ahead with their Christmas party this year.
In response, Beam has launched a Donate Your Christmas Party campaign to encourage companies to donate the money they would have spent on a party to support homeless people. The survey found that 17 per cent of businesses are already planning to donate Christmas party savings to a social cause.
The money donated through Beam’s campaign will fund job training for people experiencing homelessness – helping them to upskill, earn a living and get back on their feet, which the social enterprise describes as “the best possible present” for those who are homeless.
Photo: Arisa Chattasa