Christmas Appeal 2026

Help us bring hope and belonging this Christmas

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With the nights drawing in and the arrival of frosty mornings, many of us are turning our thoughts to Christmas plans with family and friends. At Christmas, home means so much. It is somewhere to feel warm, safe and settled. Somewhere to cook, close the door, and spend time with the people we care about. But for people experiencing homelessness, having a safe place to call home can feel a very long way off. Housing Justice is committed to helping people move away from rough sleeping and homelessness and towards a safe, settled home.

But finding a home is only the beginning. For someone moving on from homelessness, a new property can mean starting again with very little. They may need bedding, towels, toiletries, kitchen equipment and other essentials, as well as practical support to settle in, and manage bills and benefits.

Creating a home is about more than the practical things. After a period of homelessness or instability, people can also need support to rebuild confidence, feel connected to their community, and develop the relationships and networks that give us all a sense of belonging.

Housing Justice works alongside people facing homelessness to help prevent them from losing their homes, support them through periods of housing instability, and help them to find, settle into, and sustain a safe home.

This Christmas, your gift to Housing Justice can help someone make that journey from homelessness to home.

Christmas Message

from the Right Reverend Bishop Rob Wickham, Chair of Housing Justice

How much pressure do you feel to get Christmas dinner right? Do you have family traditions that must be upheld at all costs? Do you have a set menu, or particular routines?

I’ve often wondered about this Christmas ideal, the one that we see on TV adverts. I say that knowing that different households have very varied experiences of home, food and belonging. Some homes have vast dining rooms whilst other homes may have a quiet corner to eat, perched with plates on their laps. Each household will look different, making each Christmas table, real or metaphorical, different.

There are, of course, many in our neighbourhoods for whom a home, let alone a table place, is a dream. Yet Jesus, at Christmas, pitched his tent amongst us to make room for everyone. His table has a space for you, me and the woman who is sleeping rough tonight. His table encourages the sharing of bread and wine, encourages the building of community, and a life that flourishes. His table has been shaped by a Passover table with its empty chair for Elijah. There is always room.

Recently the PM, Andy Burham pledged to end rough sleeping by Christmas. That’s an audacious vision, requiring the making space for a lot of people. At Housing Justice, we are working with our network of faith and community shelters, and day services, to increase capacity ahead of the winter season. We are doing this alongside our existing work because this does require all of us to work, pray and give in a slightly different way

As we know, ending rough sleeping is not just about accommodation, it is about a table, a hot meal bringing people together, sustaining relationships, and signposting to advice and medical support.

So how will you enlarge that metaphorical, and for many, ‘real’ table this Christmas? Those Christmas adverts for the perfect dinner will make us feel a variety of things. A place at the table will be the difference.

Please be generous. Donate to Housing Justice this Christmas and help people facing homelessness find warmth, connection and a route towards home.

With love and prayers,

+Rob

Our Impact

Emily's Story

Single Mum Emily and her three children were happy and settled in their rented home in South Wales when, unexpectedly, they were served with a no-fault eviction notice as their landlord had been sent to prison. In shock and extremely worried about finding a new home on her low salary, Emily contacted our Citadel service to ask for help.

She was paired with one of our wonderful volunteers who was a constant source of comfort, moral support and advice as Emily and her family navigated their way through the temporary housing offered by her local authority. Constantly on the move and with their belongings in storage, the family struggled to cope with the insecurity and unsuitability of temporary accommodation while they looked for a more permanent home, with the children’s schoolwork and everyone’s mental health suffering.

A few distressing months of this passed, and Emily and her volunteer finally secured a property for the family in their local area. They are now happily rebuilding their lives in their new home having left the strain of temporary accommodation behind them:

“Housing Justice helped me when I had no-one to turn to and nowhere to go. They were there for me at the lowest point in my life and I will be forever grateful for their support.”

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