Help us Help Christmas Cabin calls for donations

box of donations

Help us Help Christmas Cabin calls for donations

The Help us Help campaign, which supports vulnerable people on the street, launched its Christmas cabin today, and will be run by volunteers until Wednesday 27 November.

More than 20 businesses are joining local charities and Sheffield City Council to call for people to donate items such as canned food, sugar, tea, coffee, biscuits, chocolate bars, gloves, hats, scarves, socks and toiletries to charities that help rough sleepers and people who beg.

All the donated items will be distributed amongst eight different charities and groups on Monday 2 December, 12.30-1.30pm at the Archer project. These are Ben’s Centre, Soup Kitchen, The Archer Project, Street Outreach Team – Framework, The Sunday Centre, Homeless and Rootless at Christmas (HARC), Lighthouse Project and Broomhill Breakfast Club.

People can drop off donations at the cabin or other city centre locations – details are * marked below.

The cabin is open from Thursday 21 November to Wednesday 27 November by the Peace gardens steps. It’s being run by the people who work tirelessly 365 days a year to help those on the street, and they will be on hand to answer questions and give advice.

Help Us Help is a collaboration between different services which support people who are sleeping rough or begging. Its aim is to help the public make informed choices and promote the best ways to help. These are:

1. Give time or donations to charity, rather than directly to someone who begs

1. Give food or drink rather than money

1. Have a chat with someone and encourage them to access support services

1. Buy a Big Issue North as vendors are working, not begging, and need public support

1. Find out more about Help us help and get involved at www.helpushelp.uk

A new downloadable Help us Help map is now available showing all the places where support is provided in the city.

People can also keep up to date with all the latest work being done across the city on the #Storiesfromthestreet Help us Help blog

Janet Sharpe, Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services at Sheffield City Council said: “We know that many people want to help and often don’t know that giving money to people on the street isn’t helpful to them and can be harmful. Help Us Help is vital in getting the message out about the best ways to help.

“We’re achieving a lot by working together and it’s heart-warming to see how many organisations and individuals are involved with the Christmas Help Us Help campaign, helping us spread the word on how people can help for the best and by making donations. A big thank you to all of them.”

Volunteers from the following agencies and groups will be at the cabin:

1.      Addaction

2.      Archer Project staff/volunteers

3.      Bens Centre

4.      BID Sheffield (Business Improvement District)

5.      Big Issue North

6.      Changing Sheff – City Centre residents Group

7.      CRC – Probation Services

8.      DACT Sheffield - Drug and Alcohol Coordination Team

9.      The Hood Boxing Centre, Manor Top

10.    Drink Wise, Age Well

11.    Framework Housing Association

12.    HARC – Homeless and Rootless at Christmas

13.    Human Kind

14.    Places for People Housing Association – Living+ (Victoria Court)

15.    Phoenix Futures (Residential Service for adults with drug and               alcohol problems)

16.    Recovery Community Groups

17.    SASS (Sheffield Alcohol Advisory Service)

18.    Sheffield City Council – Commissioning

19.    Sheffield City Council – Safer Neighbourhood Services

20.    Sheffield City Council – Housing Independence Service

21.    Sheffield City Council – Social Care

22.    Sheffield Soup Kitchen

23.    Shelter Sheffield

24.    SHSC – Drugs & Alcohol Treatment Services

25.    South Yorkshire Housing Association (911 Project)

26.    South Yorkshire Police – Central NHP

27.    St. Wilfrid’s Centre

28.    START (Sheffield Treatment and Recovery Team)

29.    Sunday Centre

30.    The Hood Boxing Centre

31.    The Moor Sheffield

32.    Think care help (Sheffield Hallam Volunteer Student Project)

33.    Victoria Court

Other agencies, groups and businesses supporting the stall are below and * marked venues are donation drop off points:

34.  Atkinsons

35.  Debenhams*

36.  Guinness Housing

37.  John Lewis – Sheffield Branch*

38.  Lengo Visual Media

39.  Light Cinema – Sheffield Branch*

40.  Maide Vale*

41.  McDonalds – High Street, Sheffield*

42.  Mulberry Bar and Venue*

43.  Nottingham Building Society – Sheffield Branch*

44.  Santander – Sheffield Branch*

45.  Sheffield Hallam Student’s Union*

46.  Sheffield Student’s Union*

47.  Slug & Lettuce*

48.  South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE)*

49.  South Yorkshire Police

50.  Specsavers Opticians – Sheffield Branches*

51.  The Bankers Draft*

52.  The Benjamin Huntsman

53.  The Great Escape Game*

54.  Trade2us*

55.  Virgin Money*

56.  Voluntary Action Sheffield*

57.  Waitrose – Ecclesall Road, Sheffield*

A new downloadable Help us Help map is now available showing all the places where support is provided in the city.

People can also keep up to date with all the latest work being done across the city on the #Storiesfromthestreet Help us Help blog