999 Club
The 999 Club is a community-based homelessness charity in Deptford Broadway. It provides homeless people with much-needed support to address housing needs, build supportive networks to help them through their journey and avoid future homelessness. Having supported over 20,000 people since its inception 25 years ago, the charity now provides direct services to around 1,000 homeless and vulnerably-housed people each year. The Story of Christmas is funding the refurbishment of the charity’s large basement space to provide washing and shower facilities to homeless people.
Ambitious about Autism
Ambitious about Autism is the national charity for children and young people with autism. It provides specialist education services, raises awareness and promotes understanding of autism, and campaigns for change. Its TreeHouse School is a trailblazing school for children with autism, based in Muswell Hill, North London. The Story of Christmas is funding the transformation of its outside learning space. This redevelopment will create a multi-sensory learning experience, tailored to the needs of children with complex autism. It will maximise the space to create a safe, stimulating and inspiring environment where pupils can play, learn and form friendships.
Cherry Trees
Cherry Trees has, for 40 years, provided ‘home from home’ short break/respite care for children and young people aged 0-19 years with severe learning, physical and sensory disabilities. It recognises that children are best looked after at home, however, because of their complex special needs, they require specialist care often 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cherry Trees provides that care and supports parents to help them cope with the pressures of caring for children with disabilities. They are a lifeline for more than 100 families. The Story of Christmas is funding the installation of a new interactive sensory activity play area where the children can activate different colour lighting, sounds and air movement and even weather effects by blending sounds. For children with complex special needs, the new play area will stimulate their senses and provide a fun, safe environment.
Harington
Harington has provided individually tailored training opportunities for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities for 40 years. helping them in their first steps towards the world of work. Harington’s trainee gardeners gain the hands-on experience, communication and independent living skills they need to secure their first job by delivering gardening services in North London. The Story of Christmas is funding a crew van which will meet new emissions criteria and will support one of its teams of budding gardeners for the next ten years.
Look Ahead – in association with LandAid & SEGRO
The Story of Christmas is working in partnership with LandAid (the property industry charity working to end youth homelessness in the UK) and SEGRO (a major donor) on a new project managed by the charity Look Ahead – a charity which provides care, support and housing to thousands of people across the South East. The project will enable Look Ahead to extend and renovate a home for four young vulnerable people in West London. The Story of Christmas will help create three new bedrooms, expand the kitchen so the residents can cook and eat together, knock down an under-used garage and create office space for support workers providing vital support to young residents.
Momentum Children’s Charity
Momentum Children’s Charity supports families across South West, London, Surrey and West Sussex where children are facing cancer or a life-challenging condition. They provide personally-tailored support to the entire family, both in hospital and at home. The Story of Christmas is supporting its ‘Children First’ project – refurbishing isolation and treatment rooms in four of Momentum Children’s Charity’s partner hospitals providing a more positive hospital experience for around 2,700 seriously sick children.
West London Mission
The West London Mission provides supported accommodation for formerly homeless ex-military personnel at two projects in South London, one of which is Burgess Park House in Southwark. Here, The Story of Christmas is funding the refurbishment of the kitchens in the studio flats, as well as the main shared kitchen where residents learn crucial life skills. These flats provide a base for residents to rebuild their lives, take up new training opportunities, find work and integrate back into civilian life.
Young Westminster Foundation
Fourth Feathers Youth and Community Centre (supported by the Young Westminster Foundation) is a key youth club in Westminster based in the North East of the Borough. Located in one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK, it provides a safe space for children and young people aged 8-25. The centre has around 500 members, around 40 of whom visit each day. It offers a full range of activities from homework clubs to sports activities and volunteering opportunities. The Story of Christmas is funding a significant and much-needed renovation to the building.
