Imagine spending winter living in a tent in a disused chicken factory: you have no electricity, no running water and as little as one potato per meal to eat each day. On top of that your father and husband are missing in Syria and you've just been told that your application for asylum could take months, years even. Your child needs urgent medical care and the harsh winter months are closing in. Winter in Britain can also be fatal for people living on the streets and more than ever before are being declared homeless, with a a 30% increase since 2010 and an estimated 3,500 people sleeping rough each night.

Thankfully help is at hand for some of these people. Filoxenia International are a small charity working on the ground in mainland Greece to provide basic support to the many refugees living in the inhospitable conditions of the temporary camps. We are raising urgently-needed funds towards their supported housing project which will see some of the most vulnerable individuals - the sick, the elderly, the disabled, orphaned children, those suffering abuse and new mothers - rehoused into more long term, safer housing. Lancaster and District Homeless Action Service will also continue to provide sustenance, advice and support to help relocate the homeless this winter. Help us to help them continue their vital services.