Helping others as you prepare for Christmas

Use the “Foodbank Advent Calendar.”

Find your local foodbank and use this great resource from Caritas: the calendar and explainer are in this PDF

World Gifts by CAFOD

CAFOD have many, many ways to help reflect on Advent and prepare for Christmas, including an online Advent calendar full of practical acts of charity, and a prayer and scripture reading for each day of Advent, as well as the “World Gifts” catalogue for Christmas shopping with a difference. You will find all the links on the home page cafod.org.uk

Crisis at Christmas welcome 4,600 homeless people from all over London for five days where they can have hot meals, a shower, a visit to the doctor and dentist, a haircut and much more that we probably take for granted, but which is very different when you are living on the street. Have a look at their Christmas appeal, which could be an Advent fundraiser in your school or parish: www.crisis.org.uk/get-involved/reserve-a-place-at-crisis-at-christmas 

Alternatively you will find a homeless winter shelter near to you in Basildon or Newham on the website caritasbrentwood.org and all year round Caritas Anchor House is working to relieve long term homelessness – all their work is at www.caritasanchorhouse.org.uk

Very soon after the birth of Jesus, the Holy Family were refugees. Take time to discover more about the plight of refugees less than 80 miles from our Diocese by visiting www.calaislight.com – and if you are 18+, why not travel with them to Calais next February?