Surviving Christmas helps those in need in Hastings

Volunteers from Surviving Christmas helped spread festive cheer to the homeless and lonely this year with their annual two-day open event at the Salvation Army hall in St Andrew's Square.
Surviving Christmas: Setting up the venue ready for Christmas  Day.

The Surviving Christmas Team: Adam Newington, Trevor Morgan, Caroline Bendell and Sue Evans. SUS-161226-132933001Surviving Christmas: Setting up the venue ready for Christmas  Day.

The Surviving Christmas Team: Adam Newington, Trevor Morgan, Caroline Bendell and Sue Evans. SUS-161226-132933001
Surviving Christmas: Setting up the venue ready for Christmas Day. The Surviving Christmas Team: Adam Newington, Trevor Morgan, Caroline Bendell and Sue Evans. SUS-161226-132933001

The event ran on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and has run for more than 30 years.

Not only were guests treated to a hot meal, there were other facilities on offer for visitors who came, including showers, hairdressing, a clothing bank and a GP who was available on Christmas Day to offer check-ups.

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There was also live music, which included a Christmas carol sing-a-long led by the Salvation Army on Christmas Day. On Boxing Day the Hastings Old Town Ukelele Group popped in treating everyone to a real mixture of songs.

Surviving Christmas: Setting up the venue ready for Christmas  Day. SUS-161226-132947001Surviving Christmas: Setting up the venue ready for Christmas  Day. SUS-161226-132947001
Surviving Christmas: Setting up the venue ready for Christmas Day. SUS-161226-132947001

As well as the two-day event, volunteers from Surviving Christmas were busy in the run-up to Christmas preparing more than 600 hampers to be delivered to people across 1066 Country who were referred to the charity by agencies. They included the elderly and families who have been struggling financially.

Caroline Bendell, chairman of the trustees, said: “Our volunteers worked hard in the run-up to this year’s event collecting donations of money, food and clothing in order to support the residents of Hastings and Rother who needed our help over Christmas. I would like to offer my thanks to everyone who has got involved this year. We would not be able to do the work we do without the generosity of our local residents. I feel truly humbled by the support we received.”

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Surviving Christmas: Setting up the venue ready for Christmas  Day. SUS-161226-133000001Surviving Christmas: Setting up the venue ready for Christmas  Day. SUS-161226-133000001
Surviving Christmas: Setting up the venue ready for Christmas Day. SUS-161226-133000001

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