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PHS Teacrate donates vital support to Crisis Christmas
03 February 2010
Honoring the tradition originally started by Teacrate acquired company GB Nationwide Crate Hire, PHS Teacrate donated the free use of 1,800 crates to Crisis Christmas to assist with its 2009 operation.
Crisis Christmas is an annual support initiative run by the homelessness charity ‘Crisis’ specifically to help homeless people over the festive period. The vast majority of resources needed to run this event are donated. It is one of the most recognisable charitable events in the UK and the largest volunteer led project in the UK.
Over the Christmas period, Crisis set up 9 centres across London, which are run by around 8,000 volunteers. Each year, these centres provide up to 2,000 homeless and vulnerably housed individuals opportunities for food, companionship, essential services, advice and learning. Christmas is a time of year that can be particularly lonely for those without a home or family.
For the past 38 years Crisis Christmas has provided life-changing advice, support and medical assistance to help people take their first steps out of homelessness and get their lives back on track. Running over 8 days, accommodation is provided to those sleeping rough and people with specific needs such as women and those with dependency issues. Andacross all the centres guests can benefit from 20 different services including a range of medical services, dentistry, workshops, learning opportunities, and housing and job advice.
· 28,000 meals were served - that’s over 25 tonnes of food
· 401 guests used the healthcare service
· 436 guests used the information and advice service
· 263 guests received dental treatment
· 219 guests visited a podiatrist
“Crisis Christmas would not be possible without the generosity of our supporters and volunteers” says Lynette Murad, Resources Executive at Crisis. The crates donated by Teacrate are an absolute godsend. With nine centres to open up and run across London there are huge logistical challenges. We have to transport, food, clothing, medical supplies, books, toiletries and many other items to each of our nine centres. With the crates we can divide and allocate our resources and transport them safely around London. The crates are also vital for us to run our luggage store for our guests, who often arrive with a bag or two of possessions and rely on us to be able to keep their items safe over the week that they stay with us”.
The centres are typically set up in borrowed buildings, like schools and colleges. In the past they have included disused warehouses or office spaces loaned as empty shells. It therefore takes a terrific effort from Crisis volunteers to transform them into inspirational spaces that are welcoming to guests.
Simon Johns, Sales Director with PHS Teacrate comments, “The delivery of this crucial support each Christmas almost entirely through donations and volunteer support is a truly impressive feat which is making a real difference to many lives. I’m pleased that we are in a position to support Crisis Christmas, and that our contribution has made a positive impact on the ground”.
Visit the Crisis website to learn more about the charity’s work, to participate in fundraising, become a volunteer or to donate
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