As 2023 winds down and thoughts turn to Christmas plans, family gatherings, and the dreaded task of wrapping all those presents, we’ve prepared a not-exhaustive list of charities in need of donations. As you’ll see below, the different organisations are grouped by theme so anyone interested can spread their generosity across multiple causes.
Homelessness
Most people conflate homelessness with rough sleeping, but the two are different, though they do often overlap. Rough sleeping is no doubt the most visible, but throughout the UK there is a hidden epidemic of people unable to find stable accommodation. If you’d like to support people living through a housing crisis this year, there are three options below.
To donate to Crisis click this link
To donate to St. Mungo’s click this link
To donate to Shelter click this link
Older Citizens
Health concerns, bereavement, loneliness and energy poverty are just some of the reasons why Christmas can be particularly difficult for older members of society. Age UK is one of the biggest charities fighting for the interests of the elderly, and is taking donations now.
To donate to Age UK click this link
Children
Children are among the most vulnerable members of society, and at this time of year they face a unique set of terrifying circumstances. There are several ways to support organisations caring for young people suffering from serious health problems, abuse or neglect, or war and famine, so take a look below.
To donate to Barnado’s click this link
To donate to Great Ormond Street Hospital click this link
To donate to NSPCC click this link
To donate to Save The Children click this link
To donate to UNICEF click this link
Pre-Hospital and Crisis Healthcare
Christmas Day will be a day like any other for medical personnel working on the front line of healthcare. For the UK’s various air ambulances, there will still be life-threatening incidents to attend, and the very real possibility that lives can be saved with rapid expert intervention. Further away from these shores, charities like Médicins Sans Frontier and The British Red Cross are bringing primary care to the most inhospitable environments.
To donate to Médicins Sans Frontier click this link
To donate to The British Red Cross click this link
To donate to London’s Air Ambulance Charity click this link
Healthcare and Cancer
Few people’s lives haven’t in some way been touched by cancer, Alzheimer’s disease or a heart condition. These charities need donations all year round, but particularly at Christmas.
To donate to The British Heart Foundation click this link
To donate to Cancer Research UK click this link
To donate to Teenage Cancer Trust click this link
To donate to Alzheimer’s Society click this link
Water
It’s a sad truth in 2023 that many of the most important improvements to people’s lives still depend on the supply of clean water. Be it well building in Pakistan, or the installation of proper toilets in Burkina Faso, there are so many projects in need of your help.
To donate to Water Aid click this link
To donate to Penny Appeal click this link
Animals and Animal Protection
Following the pandemic we all know there has been a rise in pets being given up for adoption, but preventing abuse or neglect is only one part of the picture. It costs hundreds of pounds to train guide dogs for people with a visual impairment, and the effects can be life-changing. Be part of the solution here.
To donate to the RSPCA click this link
To donate to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home click this link
To donate to sponsor a guide dog puppy click this link
Veterans and The Military
The effect of military service on the wellbeing of service personnel past and present has been noticeable and shocking. If you want to support charities preventing veteran suicide, ill-health, and isolation, there are two options below.
To donate to Help For Heroes click this link
To donate to the Royal British Legion click this link
For Those in Peril on The Sea
The Royal National Life Boat Institution (RNLI) is the UK’s de facto coastguard, but receives less than 1% of its funding from government. To help seafarers and members of the public who find themselves in crisis during the festive period and beyond, donate below.
To donate to the RNLI click this link
