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Edinburgh cinema fans’ festive chance to raise funds for the homeless

Christmas cinemagoers in Edinburgh get the chance to enjoy a new heart-warming animated short film this month and raise funds for the homeless.

The Scotsman Picturehouse on North Bridge, The Cameo Cinema in Home Street and the Dominion Cinema on Newbattle Terrace are among cinemas all over Scotland showing Scottish author Angela Proctor’s festive story Arthur’s Christmas Tale.

Angela, who writes under the name AH Proctor, initially crafted the story as a poem highlighting kindness and homelessness for schoolchildren doing a charity sleep-in.

The tale of a brave little dog defying a Scrooge-like misery guts who despises Christmas was so successful that she has now transformed it into a short film, Arthur’s Christmas Tale, to raise funds for Shelter Scotland.

The animation features a little pug, Arthur, who encounters cold-hearted Jack Frost as he watches over his homeless master, James, sleeping on cardboard in the snow. The little dog wins over the icy, stranger with an act of kindness demonstrating the true spirit of Christmas.

“I love Christmas, I’m a big kid at heart, although I’m not really interested in presents,” says Angela, also a successful businesswoman, mentor and mother.

“It’s family time I love and togetherness and spending time with loved ones is what is reflected in Arthur’s Christmas Tale. The little dog is happy because he’s with James whom he loves unconditionally. He feels sorry for Jack Frost because he’s all alone, so sorry in fact that he gives him the only possession he has in the whole world – a shiny white bone, so that Jack doesn’t feel so alone anymore.

“It’s a poignant message and I’m hoping it will resonate with cinemagoers, where it is being shown during trailers throughout December, and help raise much-needed funds for Shelter Scotland.”

Sharryn McKelvie, Shelter Scotland Senior Community Fundraising Area Manager said: “This is a fantastic initiative by Angela at a time of year that can be full of despair for those without a home.

“We hope that those lucky enough to enjoy quality time in the warmth of a cinema will think about others less fortunate and donate what they can to help make sure no one has to fight the threat of homelessness alone.

“Shelter Scotland exists to defend the right to a safe home and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society. Shelter Scotland believes that home is everything.

“As of 31 March 2023, there were 15,039 households in temporary accommodation, 9,595 of them children, the highest number recorded. Between April 2022 and March 2023, another 32,242 households became homeless – the equivalent of a household losing their home every 16 minutes.”

Angela, from the East End of Glasgow, who is best known for her Thumble Tumble series of stories for children, was determined to support art in Scotland by ensuring that all those involved in creating the film came from small, aspiring Scottish companies. She worked with Glasgow-based independent animation studio Clubhouse Animations and StrangeWorx Productions.

Arthur’s Christmas Tale is being shown in independent cinemas from Inverness to Dumfries throughout this month. Visitors will be able to donate via the Shelter Scotland Giving Page or by donating cash to collection buckets at cinemas across Scotland.

Immerse yourself in the chocolatey world of Wonka in 4DX at Cineworld

Cineworld are delighted to invite film fans to experience the4DX version of Wonka which will feature an all new special limited edition chocolate scent sure to transport viewers into Wonka’s world.

As an added bonus to celebrate the release of Wonka starring Timothée Chalamet, Cineworld is offering 4DX customers a sweet deal with a free chocolate scented scratch-and-sniff Wonka poster inspired by the unique limited chocolate smell experienced in 4DX.

The enchanting tale focuses on the origins of Roald Dahl’s iconic character, Willy Wonka, and boasts a star-studded cast including Timothée Chalamet, Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson and Olivia Colman.

Only at Cineworld in the UK and Ireland, the 35 4DX sites offer film fans an exhilarating experience that dives into the magical adventure like never before.

It’s not just the sweet smell of chocolate which will enliven the senses, as 4DX has effects like snow, wind and water timed to enhance the scenes playing out on screen so you feel like you’re discovering the magic of chocolate right along with Wonka and his friends. With musical numbers galore and magical elements in abundance, the 4DX seats will roll, sway and shake so it’s like you’re right there dancing, jumping and swimming along.

Casey Cohen, Head of Marketing at Cineworld Cinemas, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome movie lovers across the country to watch one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of the year.

“Wonka in 4DX is a treat for all the senses – the chocolate and candy scents will transport you into the world of Wonka while the dynamic 4DX effects for the film including snow, wind and water will make you feel like you’re living the adventure. As Wonka himself says, prepare to be amazed…!”

Cineworld is giving film fanatics across the nation the opportunity to watch the star-studded blockbuster in 4DX as well as additional formats with tickets now available from the Cineworld website or the Cineworld app.

RoSPA: Make it an accident-free December to remember

RoSPA: with overall hospital admissions up across the board it’s more important than ever to prevent accidents and both reduce pressure on the NHS and ensure people’s Christmas isn’t ruined by spending hours in overcrowded A&Es.
RoSPA: Have fun and enjoy the festive period safely

Enjoy the festive season but make it a safe one too, that’s the message from accident prevention experts, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), ahead of the Christmas chaos.

NHS figures show that overall total hospital admissions for all causes were up last year^[i], with over half a million emergency admissions – the equivalent to the population of Edinburgh requiring urgent treatment.

Jim Oram, Public Health Project Officer at RoSPA advises reducing accident risk to avoid spending hours in overcrowded accident and emergency departments: “It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement during the festive period, but having more people in the home can add to the risks.

“With some forward planning and awareness of potential hazards, your festive season can be safe and happy for everyone.”

Here are RoSPA’s top tips to stay safe this festive season:

Reduce the risk of a fall

In the UK, we saw 7,229 patients admitted to hospital last December with hip fractures and that was up 20 per cent on the year before^[1]. Keep yourself and loved ones safe by keeping the floor, stairs and walkways clear, and clean up any spillages as soon as you can. And if the weather takes an icy turn, grit the paths and walkways outside.

Only purchase gifts from reputable traders

When buying presents, opt for reputable retailers, especially when shopping online. If a trader does not have a high street presence in the UK, check online reviews before buying. Online sellers should have a UK address listed on their website.

Look for the CE, UKCA, UKNI, and Lion marks on toys, and check for age-appropriateness and warnings.

Button batteries in toys should always be inside a lockable compartment, and any magnets used in toys should be secure to avoid ingestion.

Prepare for young visitors

There are some fantastically fun novelty decorations out at this time of year, but it’s important to remember these are not toys and therefore do not have to comply with toy safety regulations.

If you have a young family or have children visiting, always be mindful of decorations they could put into their mouths. Some decorations are particularly risky, such as ones with unsecure button batteries, ones made from glass and those with magnets inside. It’s also worth having a check that cleaning products, vapes and medications are kept out of reach, and blind cords have the appropriate safety fixtures.

Think fire safety

Last year there were nearly 200,000 house fires in the UK alone^[2], so taking fire safety seriously is key.

Use electrical candles over real flames, keep decorations and cards away from heat sources, replace old Christmas lights and try not to leave anything plugged in overnight.

Maximise kitchen safety

It’s a familiar scene – the chef cooking the roasties while helpers ferry plates from A to B, and children run around high on the festivities of the day. And while everyone should enjoy the atmosphere, it’s best to keep spirits high by avoiding accidents. Allow ample time to avoid accidents from rushing and where possible, keep non-helpers out of the kitchen.

Figures from the Hip Fracture Database indicate a peak in falls around December^[3], so be sure to clean up spills and clutter promptly to reduce the risk of your family or friends falling over.

Keep hot crockery and drinks out of reach

Burns are the fourth common form of trauma worldwide, after road traffic collisions, falls and interpersonal violence^[4], with around half of those affected children. With a higher frequency of hot drinks, food, and cooked edibles around, be mindful to keep hot pans, plates and drinks out of reach.

Culture & Business Fund Scotland supports creativity and business with funds allocation of over £100,000

From bringing the festive spirit to Eden Court in Inverness by supporting Sleeping Beauty panto fun, to helping a local business play an integral part in providing shoes for performers at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the latest round of the Culture & Business Fund Scotland has made an incredible difference in supporting meaningful connections between culture organisations and businesses.

This year, the C&BS Fund, which is managed by the charity Culture & Business Scotland and supported by the Scottish Government, has provided a total of £100,000 to match sponsorship generated through relationships with businesses.

By encouraging business sponsorship through grants, the Fund aims to further develop cross-sector connections, as well as incentivise the creation of new relationships. The Fund has been distributed in varying amounts to 11 creative organisations across Scotland, ranging from grassroots initiatives to established cultural events.

Those benefitting from the most recent round include Eden Court, which received an award towards their pantomime production, to equal funding provided by Tailormade Moves to the delivery of their panto, Sleeping Beauty.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh Festival Fringe partnered with Playbill to support the creation of a new Fringe app, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo matched with Thistle Shoes, which provided shoes for all dancers who performed at the Tattoo in 2023.

Tommy McCormick, Culture & Business Scotland Programmes Manager said: “The significance of the Fund to Scotland’s culture and business sectors cannot be underestimated.

“With reasons ranging from brand awareness to staff relations, and from corporate social responsibility to ESG targets, there are many opportunities for business organisations to unlock commercial gains through engagement with culture.

“From a culture sector perspective, our recent survey of participating organisations showed that 40% of recipients are relying on the Fund to make their budgets viable, and with money being distributed to organisations large and small across the country, its positive effects are reverberating through Scotland’s communities too.”

Other successful applications included Journey to the East Productions in Glasgow, who were supported by E.G Business Equipment to deliver their 2023 edition of the Festival. Living Memory Museum in Edinburgh received match funding for The Wee Hub, linked with business partner Ocean Terminal.

The organisations below also received funding:

· Arkbound Foundation in Glasgow, linked to Harrison Brands and Climadapt, awarded for Crowdbound: Phase II.

· Deaf Action, Edinburgh, with Sign Live Ltd, for the Edinburgh Deaf Festival

· Fringe by the Sea, with Tartan Commercial, awarded for The Lighthouse Stage

· Museums and Heritage Scotland, partnered with Ilum Studio for Museum of the Highlands

· Scottish Civic Trust, linked with Urban Union and awarded for Doors Open Day

· Caledonian Crime Writing Festival, partnered with Glencairn Crystal, awarded for Glencairn Glass Short Story Competition.

Head of Fundraising and Development at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Westaly Duignan said: “Funding from Culture & Business Scotland this year allowed us to extend the footprint of our partnership with new sponsor, Playbill, and enhance the experience of our Street Events programme for both audiences and performers.

“The funding helped us to deliver clear signage to, and branding of, the performance spaces on the Mound, in central Edinburgh, adding value to our partnership and supporting audiences to see free shows. A key element of this was the Fringe Taster Stage, a popular area for artists, local community groups and schools to perform at the Fringe. Our thanks to the team at Culture & Business Scotland for their kind support this year”.

Eden Court Fundraising Manager Aelish O’Rourke said: “We are incredibly grateful for the support of Culture & Business Scotland Fund.

“The fund is not only helping us stage a much-loved festive show, it played a key part in also leveraging vital business support by enabling us to nurture and expand a sponsor relationship”.

Since its inauguration in 2017, the Fund has enabled 169 projects across Scotland to transform their artistic and creative visions into reality.

The Fund serves Culture & Business Scotland’s commitment to facilitating meaningful connections between the culture and business sectors, creating the possibility for businesses to sponsor creative projects with vision and scope.

Scottish Government to increase financial support for Scottish students

Main undergraduate funding package now in line with the Living Wage

Scottish students will benefit from a £2,400 increase to their annual support package from the start of the 2024-25 academic year.

The new special support loan will mean that, per year, the main undergraduate funding package will rise to £11,400 and post-graduate to £13,900.

The uplift means funding support for the most vulnerable students is now in line with the student equivalent Living Wage.

Minister for Further and Higher Education Graeme Dey said: “We know that financial stress can be a significant barrier to educational success so it’s vital that we provide this uplift for students, helping them through what are tough economic times.

“This package of measures will help learners to fulfil their potential and delivers on our Programme for Government commitments to increase the student support package to the equivalent of the Living Wage, to introduce a special support payment and to review funding provision for postgraduate students.

“Along with free tuition, this uplift demonstrates the Scottish Government’s commitment to helping students – even as we face the most challenging financial situation since devolution.”

Social Bite and itison celebrate 10 years of festive fundraising

Annual Christmas campaign kicks off to support people experiencing homelessness

Two of Scotland’s best known brands, Social Bite and itison, have joined forces for the 10^th year to launch their annual festive fundraising campaign. Asking the public to donate just £5 to buy Christmas dinner for someone who is homeless, the campaign has raised more than £3million over the past decade with 700,000 donations made.

This year, the campaign, which launches across itison channels today (Wednesday 6 December), will offer generous donors three options; contribute £5 to buy Christmas dinner for someone who is homeless, provide gifts for children who might not have a present to open on Christmas Day or make a donation to help build the first ever Social Bite Villages in Glasgow and Dundee, and give someone the gift of home.

Josh Littlejohn MBE, founder of Social Bite was joined by Oli Norman, founder and CEO of itison at the Social Bite Coffee Shop on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow on launch day.

Josh said: “Over the past 10 years, itison customers have been some of our most loyal donors and we’re extremely grateful to them for their on-going support. Their donations have made a true difference to people experiencing homelessness.

“This year, is even more important as we ask for support for our planned Social Bite Villages in Dundee and just outside Glasgow, which will transform the lives of many.”

Oli Norman, founder and CEO of itison said: “When we first launched our partnership with Social Bite back in 2014, our goal was to help raise enough to provide 800 dinners for people who were experiencing homelessness.

“We sold 800 vouchers in the first hour and it’s quite phenomenal that we are now in our tenth year having donated over 750,000 meals so far.

“As the temperatures plummet outside, this is one the hardest and loneliest times of the year for people facing homelessness and we are calling on our members to dig deep to donate and help us spread the word of the vital work Social Bite provides at this time of the year.”

Once again, Social Bite coffee shops in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee will be opening their doors on Christmas Day to provide people who need it most with a Christmas meal plus support, warmth and a sense of safety and belonging.

The money raised from the itison appeal will go, not only to providing Christmas dinner with all the trimmings that day, but also on providing meals in 2024.

Christmas opening hours across the charity’s coffee shops will be Aberdeen, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 11am-4pm and Edinburgh and Glasgow Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 12pm – 4pm.

Donations can be made at itison’s website by visiting itison.com/donate.

Ofcom proposes ban on inflation-linked mid-contract price rises

Ofcom also reveals that take-up of social tariffs more than doubled in the last year, but millions of eligible customers remain unaware of them

Telecoms customers must be told upfront in pounds and pence about any price rises their provider includes in their contract, under new consumer protection plans set out today by Ofcom.

With most major phone, broadband and pay TV companies now including mid-contract price rises linked to uncertain future inflation, we are concerned that customers’ contracts do not provide sufficient certainty about the prices they will pay.

So Ofcom are proposing to introduce tougher protections for customers by banning this practice.

Confusing price rise terms risk undermining competitive market

Competition helps keep prices down. Although some broadband prices have increased this year, over the last five years, average prices for broadband and mobile services in the UK have fallen in real terms. At the same time, companies have been investing in upgrading their networks, while average speeds and data use have increased.^[1]

However, for competition to work, consumers must be able to shop around with confidence.

In recent years, pricing practices where providers impose an annual rise linked to unpredictable future inflation, plus an additional percentage of typically 3.9%, have become significantly more widespread, undermining customers’ understanding of what they will pay.

Timeline: Introduction of inflation-linked price variation terms including an additonal fixed percentage

What we have found

Our analysis of providers’ data shows that as of April 2023 four in ten (11 million) broadband customers and over half of mobile customers (36 million) were on contracts subject to inflation-linked price rises. We estimate that these numbers may grow further, to around six in ten of both broadband and mobile customers, as Three and Virgin Media apply inflation-linked in-contract price rise terms to more of their customers’ contracts during 2023/24.

However, awareness and understanding of these terms is very low. More than half (55%) of broadband customers and pay monthly mobile customers (58%) do not know what inflation rates such as CPI and RPI measure. And of those who are with providers that use inflation-linked price rises, very few broadband (16%) and mobile customers (12%) were both aware of the price rise and able to identify that it was inflation-linked with an additional percentage.^[2]

We also found that even when people do consider future inflation-linked price rises when choosing a contract, they often do not understand them fully and find it difficult to estimate what the impact could be on their payments.

Between January and October 2023, Ofcom received over 800 complaints related to price rises – almost double the volume of complaints received during the same period in 2021 – many of which highlighted uncertainty created by inflation-linked price rises.

Our conclusions

We have provisionally concluded that inflation-linked mid-contract price rise terms can cause substantial amounts of consumer harm by complicating the process of shopping for a deal, limiting consumer engagement, and making competition less effective as a result.

These terms also require customers to unfairly assume the risk and burden of financial uncertainty from inflation, with tangible impacts on their ability to manage costs at a time when household budgets are already stretched to the limit.

Toughening our rules

To tackle this problem, we propose to introduce a new rule requiring that any price written into a customer’s contract would need to be set out in pounds and pence, prominently and transparently, at the point of sale. That includes being clear about when any changes to prices will occur.

This would prevent providers from including inflation-linked, or percentage-based, price rise terms in all new contracts.

Example of how the £/p requirement would apply

Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s Chief Executive, said: “At a time when household finances are under serious strain, customers need prices to be crystal clear. But most people are left confused by the sheer complexity and unpredictability of inflation-linked price rise terms written into their contract, which undermines customers’ ability to shop around.

“Our tougher protections would ban this practice once and for all, giving customers the clarity and certainty they need to secure the best deal for their needs and budget.”

Next steps

We are consulting on this proposed new requirement until 13 February 2024, and plan to publish our final decision in spring 2024.

Subject to responses, we intend for the new rule to come into effect four months after the publication of our final decision. This period reflects our concern about the scale of consumer harm balanced against the need to give providers sufficient time to make the necessary changes to their processes and business plans.

Enforcement action

Separately, Ofcom have been investigating whether phone and broadband companies complied with our previous rules between March 2021 and June 2022. We have found that a small number of providers may not have given some customers clear information about price rises at the right time, creating a potential compliance concern.

We have discussed these concerns with the relevant providers and secured refunds for some affected customers. We will continue to discuss our remaining concerns with these providers, escalating to separate, targeted enforcement action if necessary.

Social tariff take-up doubles in a year

Ofcom has also today published its annual Pricing Trends report, which this year includes the latest take-up and awareness figures for social tariffs.

Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. Some providers call them ‘essential’ or ‘basic’ broadband.

Take-up of social tariffs increased to 380,000 in September 2023, up from 147,000 a year earlier, meaning more customers are benefitting from the savings the tariffs offer. However, awareness among eligible customers remains a challenge. Just over half (55%) of eligible households remain unaware of social tariffs; and while take-up is improving, it remains low as a proportion of all eligible households (8.3%).

For the first time, we have published take-up figures for each of the largest providers of broadband social tariffs.

Social tariff take-up: February 2022 to September 2023 (000s)

Bar chart showing take up of social tariff from February 2022 to September 2023 “No data” indicates that we did not collect social tariff take-up figures in a particular month: these values are estimated and do not represent actual take-up.

BT has the largest share of broadband customers taking a social tariff (72%), followed by Sky (13%), Virgin Media (6%), Vodafone (4%), KCOM (1%) and Shell Energy (0.3%).

These proportions are partly a reflection of the length of time over which different social tariff products have been available. TalkTalk is the only major broadband provider not to offer a social tariff.

People power on the High Street

First Minister visits Dunbar businesses ahead of Travelling Cabinet

Two businesses which were bought by the local community in Dunbar after receiving Scottish Government funding have been praised for their entrepreneurial initiative by First Minister Humza Yousaf, who is in East Lothian for the 52^nd Travelling Cabinet.

The First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon heard how local residents launched successful community shares offers to raise finance for the grocery store Community Carrot and the Community Bakery to bring people together and help regenerate the town’s High Street.

The walk along the High Street also included another community project, the Ridge. Volunteers who receive training through the organisation described how they have turned wasteland around Dunbar into community garden spaces. All three initiatives have received support from the Scottish Government’s Scottish Land Fund.

Other visits which took place included:

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison at Amisfield Walled Garden, restored and maintained by members of the local community
Health Secretary Michael Matheson at East Lothian Community Hospital’s new orthopaedic rehabilitation ward
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson at Tantallon Castle

And, on Wednesday, Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop will open East Linton Train Station, which is bringing new transport links to the community.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “We are committed to hearing from people across the country to help inform decision making and the projects I visited today exemplify the type of community empowerment this Government is encouraging in Scotland.

“Through awards from the Scottish Government’s Scottish Land Fund totalling almost £400,000, these three initiatives have demonstrated how local people can make a positive impact to local employment and their local economy.

“East Lothian is a beautiful part of Scotland with tremendous community spirit and I look forward to hearing more about people’s priorities during the public discussion in Haddington this afternoon.”

The Dunbar Community Bakery received £124,560 (November 2022) through the Scottish Land Fund. The Community Carrot received £119,200 (May 2019). The Ridge received two awards of £49,900 (March 2022) and £98,548 (August 2022).

List of visits not previously mentioned:

Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray – Archerfield House

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth – Wallyford Learning Campus

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville – Our Community Kitchen

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater – Kinwegar Recycling Centre

Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown – East Lothian Community Action Team

Parliamentary Business Minister George Adam – Knox Academy

Childline delivered over 200 counselling sessions to children in Scotland over the 12 days of Christmas last year

Landmarks across Scotland will light up green next week as a reminder that Childline will be there as a lifeline for children this festive season.
Childline will remain open 24/7, including Christmas day.

Childline delivered 240 counselling sessions to children in Scotland during the 12 days of Christmas last year¹, the NSPCC-run service reveals as it prepares to support young people round the clock this festive holiday.

As this year’s festive season fast approaches, Childline counsellors know that while many children will be looking forward to spending time with their loved ones, for others Christmas can be a challenging time.

Next week, on the longest night of the year (Friday, December 22), landmarks across Scotland including Glasgow and Dundee science centres, Glasgow Botanic Gardens, The Falkirk Wheel and Camera Obscura Edinburgh will join dozens more across the UK in lighting up green to create a striking visual reminder that Childline is there for children and young people in their darkest hours.

For some, spending an extended amount of time at home with their family can lead to tensions or amplify existing issues and this can leave many children feeling upset and isolated.

Concerns that children shared with Childline last Christmas included:

Increased family conflict.
Facing their first Christmas without a loved one.
Struggling to cope with their own mental health or family members who have mental health issues.
Concerns about parents or carers drinking more than usual over the Christmas period.
Feeling worried or guilty about Christmas placing additional financial pressure on their family.
Struggling with eating or body issues, such as feeling pressure to eat more than usual, worried about eating in front of other people or having to hide disordered eating habits.

A few of the young people in Scotland who contacted Childline last year said:

“My parents argue a lot and sometimes hit each other. It makes me feel scared and my mum threatens to leave. It’s worse at Christmas, or any special days.”

“My mum is threatening to kick me out of the house because she said I ruined Christmas.”

“I went to stay with my dad over Christmas. my mum’s been acting really weird with me since I got back.”

Childline volunteer, Jess Copner (53) from Aberdeenshire, has volunteered on Christmas day for the past two years and is on duty on Christmas Eve this year. The mum and secondary school teacher said: “I did a shift last year which started at 7.15am so I had to be very organised and did lots of food preparation and gift wrapping beforehand.

“As my children are older they were just getting up when I got back, so I didn’t miss out on much at home.

“Volunteering for Childline is not completely altruistic, I also get a lot out of it. It’s great to give something back, especially at Christmas, it makes me feel good to know I’m helping others.”

Adeniyi Alade, service head of Childline, based in Aberdeen, said: “Sadly we know Christmas is not always a happy time for children. Hundreds of young people in Scotland contact Childline every year during the festive break.

“For some young people the issues they face all year round can become worse at this time of year, with societal pressures and expectations being added to existing problems.

“With schools closed for the holiday, children also have limited access to wider support networks which can increase feelings of loneliness and isolation.

“Christmas can also place a number of extra pressures on families, from financial to emotional, and for those children who are struggling with a range of issues our trained counsellors can provide a real lifeline.”

To enable the charity to be there for all children this festive season, visit the NSPCC website to donate to the charity’s Christmas appeal. Just £4 could help a counsellor answer a call.

You can also help raise vital funds for the service by rallying your friends and family to sign up to the Walk for Children and walk 5k on the 22^nd of December.

The Childline service is here for children every day, even on Christmas Day. Children can contact Childline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When a child needs help and Christmas means abuse, Childline is a lifeline and it’s vital that our counsellors are here and ready to listen and support children across the UK.

Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk

Letter: Charity keeps families together with their seriously ill children this Christmas

Dear Editor,

As the year draws to a close, we think about spending precious time with loved ones, but for many families with a sick child in hospital they’ll be worried about how they can be by their child’s side.

Can you imagine having a seriously sick child in hospital and you’re not able to be by their bedside at this traumatic time? The Sick Children’s Trust is there to make sure no child faces hospital alone and can have their family by their side, especially at Christmas.

This Christmas we expect all ten of our ‘Homes from Home’ to be full, ensuring that families with a seriously ill child in hospital can be together, but we can only do this with your help.

It costs The Sick Children’s Trust £40 to keep a family together for one night but that is only increasing with the cost of living crisis. Help us make sure families can be together this Christmas.

Last year we supported Alfie’s family in our Crawford House ‘Home from Home’.

His mum Becy said: “Crawford House really felt like a home from home. There was a large Christmas tree in the reception, and we had a communal kitchen, warm bedroom and bathroom.

“I found it so incredibly hard to leave Alfie on the ward each night, so to come back to such a warm, homely place like Crawford House, meant the world to us. It made a very difficult time that little bit easier.

“With Christmas being our favourite time of year, we wanted to start our own family traditions. One of which was to read ‘The Night before Christmas’ to Alfie, something made possible by the close proximity of Crawford House to the ward. Though it wasn’t the first Christmas we had planned, we still got to spend precious time with our baby.

“Following his recovery Alfie is now thriving. While we will be making the most of this special time, we will also be thinking about the families spending Christmas in hospital and at Crawford House this year. We know how heartbreaking it is to have a child in hospital at any time, but over the festive period is particularly difficult. We’re urging everyone to support The Sick Children’s Trust and their Christmas appeal so that every family can be together over the festive period.”

All families should be together during this precious time of year. I hope you’ll be able to donate to our Together at Christmas appeal as no matter how big or small your donation, you’ll be helping us to keep families, like Alfie’s, together at Christmas and beyond.

Please visit our website sickchildrenstrust.org to donate.

Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy festive season.

Jane Featherstone

Chief Executive at The Sick Children’s Trust