Our Christmas drive was boosted on Wednesday with a £250,000 donation from the Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund, taking the total raised by our Winter Survival Appeal to £1.5 million.
Their support comes as popular rapper and grime artist Big Zuu and actress and singer Hannah Waddingham urged the public to get behind our joint campaign with Comic Relief, and as the Trussell Trust forecasted that demand on food banks will rise sharply and that this will be their busiest winter ever.
Big Zuu, best known for his TV show Big Zuu’s Big Eats, said: “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from — no one should have to worry where their next meal is coming from. That’s why I am backing the Evening Standard’s and Comic Relief’s Winter Survival Appeal. We can help families going through these struggles and help ease the huge burden they feel just to keep providing the bare essentials.”
Waddingham, who stars in the comedy series Ted Lasso, said: “I’m really proud to be supporting this appeal. This time of year can be so difficult and full of worry for families and those who are really struggling to get by. To have reached £1.5 million already is just incredible and shows just how wonderful and kind people are even during the most difficult of times. So many lives are going to be supported through the amazing generosity shown by Evening Standard readers. Let’s please keep it going as much as we can and merry Christmas one and all!”
The Dispossessed Fund, founded in 2010, was set up to tackle poverty, inequality and exclusion in London. Kate Markey, CEO of the London Community Foundation, which manages the Dispossessed Fund, said: “Our fund exists to support our most vulnerable neighbours. In these incredibly challenging times, it is vital the fund acts alongside the Winter Survival Appeal. That’s why we are providing emergency funding to incredible charities giving support, essential goods and comfort to people in dire need this winter because of the cost of living crisis.”
The Dispossessed Fund money will go to eight charities hand-picked by LCF that help Londoners though the cost of living crisis, with each charity receiving a grant of £31,250. The donation comes on top of the total £1.25 million already raised. That total includes £500,000 each from Sainsbury’s and Comic Relief and a £250,000 expected pledge from gaming event organisers, Jingle Jam.
How you can help
£10 could provide a nourishing meal for a Londoner every day for a month
£20 could provide a duvet and pillow to a young person helping them sleep at night
£50 could contribute to a new school uniform for a child fleeing with a parent from an abusive relationship
£100 could provide 400 meals for families at a local community centre
£300 could pay for all that’s needed by a family expecting a baby, including new cot, mattress and pram
£1,750 could get a truck packed with enough food for 7,000 meals
In a nutshell
We have partnered with Comic Relief to launch our Winter Survival Appeal Christmas Campaign, with Comic Relief pledging £500,000 to kick off our fund. The money we raise will help fund charities in London and across the country helping people who are struggling with the cost of living crisis
To make a donation, visit comicrelief.com/wintersurvival
