Please give generously to homeless charities this Christmas

By Ricki Lake

It’s Christmas and the snow is falling. As we sit round the table and tuck into our Christmas dinner, our family is around us and warmth and joy is spread. But there are many that are not so lucky: the people on their friends’ sofa; the families staying in the bed and breakfast; the people on the street.

Many charities do outstanding work and the people who voulnteer are selfless. I stayed in a homeless hostel when I was in my teens, after running away from home. The streets of London are scary. You have to learn fast and be on your guard at all times.

If it weren’t for them, I would be still on the streets and still on drugs. There are still many others in a similar position. The charities are overstrecthed and undermanned and the people who attend them are freezeing. In 2010, that hell cannot be right: surely we can do better than this.

So at this time of year we should support Shelter and CentrePoint and all the voulnteers for the vaualbe and life changing work they do. We must not turn the other cheek.

Please consider making a donation.