A drive to help the homeless and those who are sleeping rough across Merseyside has been launched by charities and volunteers in the run up to the festive season, as it brings the ‘busiest time’ for those in need of help.

The Whitechapel Centre, a housing and homeless charity for the Liverpool region, which also runs the area’s ‘No Second Night Out’ helpline, has begun its ‘positive’ Christmas appeal, featuring pictures of Whitechapel Centre service users holding up signs demonstrating how the charity has helped them and what they have been able to achieve.

Ruth McCaughley, fundraising manager at the Whitechapel Centre, says: “We wanted it to be a positive appeal. The centre helps people to make positive changes to their lives and this is what we wanted to show.

“It’s lovely to see so many people collecting for us and getting involved because Christmas is our busiest time of year and when so many people will need the Whitechapel Centre’s help.

“January is also a busy time for the centre as many relationships break down over the Christmas period and people can find themselves homeless as a result.”

One way to help the Whitechapel Centre this Christmas, along with a number of other local organisations supporting homeless and vulnerable people around the city, is by supporting the Liverpool Homeless Christmas Shoebox Appeal.

The appeal was started just weeks ago by one woman, Vorny Redmond, and her friends and family. The idea is to donate shoeboxes filled with gifts, clothes and toiletries which can be handed to men, women and children sleeping rough in Liverpool every year.

What started as a Facebook page has quickly received support from around 3,000 people in Merseyside pledging their help to provide shoeboxes.

A number of designated drop off points for people to hand their shoeboxes in have been set up at organisations and businesses around the city, and a number of charities supporting vulnerable people are set to receive them.

As for remaining shoeboxes once charities have received their share, Vorny says: “On 23 December we’re going to be taking to the streets dressed as Santa and elves and anyone who is sleeping rough, we’re going to hand deliver the boxes to them. I’m going to set up a meeting point and anyone who wants to get involved can do that”.

“The main objective really is to put a smile on the faces of people who might not have that much to smile about.”

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