​Nurseplus Christmas Appeal’s for Local Charities

As Christmas approaches and those festive feels creep in it’s easy to get excited but for so many vulnerable people up and down our country, Christmas is not something to look forward to.

According to statistics provided by Shelter England, there are at least 271,000 homeless people in the UK right now, and of that staggering number, 123,000 of them are children. Other statistics from the NHS show that over 1,900,000 people over the age of 18 have care support needs, and over 800,000 people over the age of 18 have been receiving ongoing care support.

At Nurseplus, our branch staff work hard to ensure each of their healthcare professionals is prepared to provide the kind of care and support needed in a variety of healthcare settings. Many of the people we care for make up these staggering statistics, and it is thanks to our local branch teams that those in care in local communities will have better Christmas experiences in 2023.

So what can we do to help?

Well, this year many of our Nurseplus branches took it upon themselves to join charitable Christmas campaigns to support a charity of their choice and the amazing work they do for vulnerable people over Christmas.

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• Nurseplus Salisbury chose Alabare, an organisation that works with a variety of vulnerable people across the country to increase their quality of life, this includes homeless people, and vulnerable mothers and children.

• Nurseplus Derby working with their local Derbyshire Rotary Club which runs an annual shoebox appeal to support deprived people in countries like Ukraine and Moldova.

• Nurseplus Chichester will be supporting the homeless charity Stonepillow which works to empower vulnerable people and support those without a home to achieve independence.

• Nurseplus Bournemouth will be supporting The Bus Shelter Dorset which is a registered charity set up to relieve the needs of people sleeping rough in Dorset by providing shelter, warmth, food, and support.

• Nurseplus Colchester is supporting their local YMCA which seeks to build the lives of young people and families giving them hope for their futures.

• Nurseplus Ashfordhas been running a tombola to raise funds for their local Pilgrims Hospice whose work helps people facing incurable illnesses to live well in every moment.​​

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• Nurseplus Rayleigh and Harloware supporting one of their colleagues as he takes on a 30K walk to raise funds for St Luke's Hospice. The hospice works to support patients, families, and carers ensuring they have access to all the care and resources they need.

• Nurseplus Aylesbury is co-ordinating a Christmas gift collection for their local women's refuge, Aylesbury Women's Aid. They'll be asking people to donate gifts for the women and children under the shelter's care this Christmas.

• Nurseplus Eastbourne has chosen to support local charity Holding Space whose work in the East Sussex area supports the parents of children with mental health challenges or learning disabilities. They'd like to donate some tombola and raffle prizes to Holding Space to help raise money for the families they care for.

• Nurseplus Bury St Edmunds and Cambridgewill be hosting The Big Tea Event to raise funds for EACH which is an organisation that supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions.

• Nurseplus Hastings will be working with Warming Up the Homelessto help people who are homeless or sleeping rough by asking for donations of clothing, food, and survival blankets.

• Nurseplus Kent branches have been working together to organise donations for United Families Christmas dinner appeal to help those living in Kent who are struggling with the cost of living crisis.

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​To Nurseplus, Christmas is primarily about caring. We enjoy going above and beyond for the people in our care and communities at a time of year that can be so challenging for many and you can help us by supporting your local branch Christmas campaign.

How You Can Help Make Christmas in Care Magical

We all do things a little differently over Christmas. With family Christmas traditions playing a huge part in how our day pans out. But imagine you were away from your family over the festive period, and you were unable to join in the usual family celebrations.

There are plenty of things we can do as carers to make Christmas Magical for those we care for.

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1. Set Up Christmas Decorations

Spend some time making the care environment festive with Christmas decorations. Perhaps you could volunteer to decorate your local home, hospice, nursery, or childcare setting

2.Organise Christmas Arts and crafts

A simple Christmas card can have a wonderful effect on a lonely person at Christmas. Why not create your own and send them out to those you care for?

3. Sort of a Secret Santa

Make sure everyone gets a gift and keep the budget low by organising a Secret Santa. Suggest homemade gifts or silly items that can bring everyone together.

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Christmas can be about so much more than what we get, it can be about what we can give back. As a leading care recruitment agency, we believe it is our responsibility to give back to our communities and the people we care for all year round, but at Christmas, we can do more.

If you find you need an extra pair of hands to help you care throughout the festive season, reach out to your local Nurseplus here for care staff that truly care:

Book Agency Staff for Christmas