Loneliness and isolation is a huge difficulty for many of the 19,000 residents aged over 60 in Hammersmith & Fulham. More than half of these residents have a long-term health problem or disability, 25 per cent live in poverty and 43 per cent live alone.

Local charity UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham (now https://hfgiving.org.uk/) is asking residents to help pay for a hot Christmas lunch or gift bag for a lonely or isolated older neighbour this year.

The initiative is part of the larger Big H&F Community Christmas – in partnership with Hammersmith & Fulham Council – to ensure that no-one in the borough is left out.

“Thank you to the residents, businesses and charities who are backing the Big H&F Community Christmas to ensure that no-one in our borough is left out,” said Cllr Ben Coleman, H&F Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care.

“Please donate towards giving older people who’ll be alone at Christmas a great Christmas Day lunch.”

The target is £16,000 in one week

Any donation made on the Big Give portal from 1 to 8 December will be matched by the McGrath Charitable Trust until the first £4,875. Anything above this is still welcomed for lunches and other services throughout the winter.

• £200: could pay for 25 older isolated people to be checked in on by a friendly e-Cargo bike lunch delivery rider on 25 December – in rain, snow or shine
• £100: could pay for five shielding older people’s hot meals as they struggle with high risk health conditions
• £40: could pay for a single older person’s hot Christmas lunch, complete with a gift bag and delivery to their door
• £20: could pay for a hot Christmas lunch to be prepared by a local community chef
• £5: could pay for a festive themed gift bag safely delivered to an older person.

Want to give a larger amount?

• You can give more via BACS. Email team@unitedhf.org for bank details, and please send a completed Gift Aid form if you are a UK taxpayer, too.
• Make a gift via CAF Bank. Send this to ‘UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham’ with reference ‘Warmer Together: H&F Big Christmas Lunch’. Let us know at the email above so we know what is coming.
• If you’re a local business, make a company gift to the campaign, letting us know at the above email how you’d like to do this and if you’d like a receipt.

Want to find out more about the Big Give? Email Savraj Kaur, executive director of UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham, at team@unitedhf.org

Part of the Big H&F Community Christmas.

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