Does a ‘Dickensian Christmas’ conjure up images of decorated trees, presents and crackers, family gatherings, charity and kindness...or do you imagine times of cold, hunger, hardship and want?

Recent data from the Children’s Commissioner for England highlighted that ‘today children in England are living in ‘Dickensian levels’ of poverty, with their basic needs unmet'.

The sad reality is that poverty isn’t a story from the past. It is happening now, this Christmas, on our doorsteps.

At Charity Link, we’ve been helping people in need since 1876 – and we are currently seeing extreme hardship and deprivation every day. No child should face a Dickensian Christmas in 2025.

This Christmas, you can help rewrite the story. You can bring warmth, dignity and hope to those most in need.

Your donation will help provide essential items, such as winter clothing, a cooker for hot meal, a bed to sleep in or help to create a warm, safe home…

And, by untapping funds from charitable trusts, we can turn every £10 you donate or raise into £50 of essential items - so every pound you give will make a big difference:

£10 – heat a home for a week

£15 – feed a family in need for a week

£35 – a bed for a child in bed poverty

£65 – a cooker, washing machine or fridge freezer

£200 – set up a family after a period of homelessness

Turn hardship into hope this Christmas and help children and families in need start a new chapter.

We are so grateful for your support.