The Great Christmas Drive
Bringing the gift of home this Christmas with Barratt David Wilson and St Paul’s Centre
As the festive season approaches, it's the perfect time to reflect on the spirit of giving and generosity. This Christmas, Show Business Interiors is thrilled to announce a heartwarming partnership with St Paul's Centre and Barratt David Wilson for a special campaign that aims to bring comfort and joy to those in need.
Following last year’s campaign, we felt like it was only right to continue to spread the festive cheer through our communities. That’s why this Christmas, we’ve set out to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those experiencing hardship. Collaborating with St Paul's Centre, our goal was to provide the invaluable gift of a home – a furnished haven for individuals and families who have faced homelessness, domestic violence, or financial struggles.
By jointly donating furniture with the team at Barratt David Wilson, we aimed to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and families facing various challenges.
Over one quarter of a million people are recorded homeless…
At the start of this year, The Shelter announced devastating research which shows “at least 271,000 people are recorded as homeless in England, including 123,000 children.” But it doesn’t stop there, according to the report, ‘68% of families are living in temporary accommodation’ for longer than necessary. A situation which has worsened due to the ‘three-year freeze on housing benefits and the cost of living crisis’.
In our local community, the figures aren’t much brighter as according to Cheshire East Council, “homelessness prevention and relief cases during 2018-2020 increased by 15.4%”. The main causes? "Eviction by family and friends, domestic abuse and the end of assured shorthold tenancy”. In addition to the Council’s efforts to tackle homelessness, local charity, St Paul’s Centre, offers a ray of hope to those left vulnerable not only in the run-up to Christmas but throughout the entire year.
Introducing St Paul’s Centre
St. Paul's Centre is a vital charity that supports families in need throughout the year, offering various essential services beyond its food banks. The dedicated team at St. Paul's also helps furnish homes through referrals from charities and Cheshire East Council, catering to individuals who have either faced homelessness, sought refuge from war struck countries, fled domestic abuse or are simply affected by the cost of living crisis.
Of course, their generosity doesn’t stop there as every Friday, the charity hosts a furniture sale where the local community can purchase household items for much less than average retail price. The profits are then fed back into the charity to help fund the logistics of their various projects including their community cafe, hospital discharge service, cycle project and more.
A collaborative endeavor with Barratt David Wilson
In addition to previous donations, the team at Barratt David Wilson has offered their support by donating furniture following the recent installation at Lancaster Gardens. The selected pieces, sourced from The Kingsley and Maidstone show homes, play a vital role in assisting families in Cheshire East facing financial difficulties. Together, our collaboration involved carefully curating furniture from these show homes, ensuring that our contribution is tailored to address the specific needs of the community.
Stay tuned for more details about our journey and insights into how The Great Christmas Drive continues.