Christmas is the season for giving, but with so many worthy causes it can be hard to know where your money is most needed. Below are 15 charities to donate to this Christmas that are particularly in need of your support at this time of year.
After a turbulent few years, Christmas is a particularly great opportunity to think about supporting those in even greater need. If the years gone by have taught us anything, it's the importance of supporting our neighbours, community, and world and doing our bit to help care for those who need it.
Perhaps you're an animal lover, want to support the homeless, or children in need. Whichever charity you choose to donate your money to, be it a small or large amount, the knowledge that you have helped someone in some way is what Christmas should all be about. This Christmas, consider purchasing charity gifts and cards, the sales of which go to a good cause.
The 15 charities to donate to this Christmas which are listed below are only a fragment of the amazing organisations that help people and animals across the globe on a daily basis. Donating to charity is a personal decision, so support something that is close to your heart.
Charities to donate to this Christmas
1. Oxfam Unwrapped
Throughout the year, Oxfam offers gift cards that can be purchased for the value of, for example, safe water, education for girls, food for a family, chicken, and goats.
The money spent on each gift card supports Oxfam in its fight against poverty, providing hope, joy, and brighter futures.
Gifts and charity Christmas cards are a lovely way to support a great cause, and also tick off some of your Christmas shopping lists! You can also donate to Oxfam directly.
2. Salvation Army, Christmas Present Appeal
Many Salvation Army churches and centres across the UK will be running a Christmas Present Appeal, collecting donated toys and gifts for children who might not otherwise receive a Christmas present.
If you'd like to donate a gift, contact your local Salvation Army church or centre to find out where and how to donate. Donations are open until mid-December.
Working for over 150 years in the UK, The Salvation Army also works to support victims of modern slavery, the community, and the homeless to name a few.
With the rise of homelessness as a result of the pandemic, the charity will be on hand this winter offering hot takeaway meals, sleeping bags, and specialist support.
Help The Salvation Army continue to be there for those in need.
3. The BookTrust
The BookTrust Christmas Appeal raises money to send book parcels to children who are vulnerable or in care. Their families might be facing challenging circumstances or significant hardship, and some children may be spending this Christmas away from their families for the first time.
Last Christmas, 14,250 children all received a festive book parcel in the run-up to Christmas - that's 1,800 more children than previously. And for the first time, some parcels were given out through community food banks to help some families who have been adversely affected by lockdowns and who were facing a difficult Christmas.
The BookTrust Christmas Appeal will return this Christmas, or you can donate now to support and fund a range of activities for children who need extra support.
4. Crisis At Christmas
A gift of a Crisis Christmas will give homeless people access to essential food and festive treats, a place to stay over Christmas, and year-round support, education, and training.
Crisis supports hundreds of people over the Christmas period, providing them with warmth, comfort, safety, and hope for the future. It isn't possible without the amazing people donating, fundraising, and volunteering their time at Christmas.
You can donate to help end homelessness.
5. RSPCA, Christmas Rescue
This Christmas the RSPCA is asking for donations of £15, £25, or £40 (or any other amount) to help answer calls to its Animal Rescue Line, keep Animal Rescue Teams on the road over Christmas and look after the animals in its care (£40 covers the cost for five cats and dogs to be microchipped).
During the 2019 Christmas period, more than 2,500 animals were taken into the care of the RSPCA. Christmas is a common time for animals to be abandoned, and for owners who are struggling with the costs of looking after their animals to seek help.
The RSPCA's animal rescuers work tirelessly every day - even on Christmas Day, so these funds are vital to keeping the Christmas rescue going.
6. The Trussell Trust Food Bank
The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of food banks, providing emergency food and support to people living in poverty in the UK. Over 3.1 million emergency food parcels were distributed by Trussell's community of food banks in the past year, almost double the number distributed five years ago. Last winter alone, 600,000 food parcels were delivered.
You can help them make sure everyone gets a Christmas dinner this year, by making a food donation to one of your local food banks or at a supermarket collection point. They also collect non-food items such as household supplies, toiletries, and even furniture and clothing. You can also donate online to support their work.
7. Age UK
Christmas is the loneliest time of the year for over 1.5m older people, particularly those who have lost their partner. Age UK is working to change this, making sure that no one is alone on Christmas.
The charity remains active in supporting older people and a £15 donation could pay to answer three calls to Age UK's advice line from older people needing information and reassurance to cope with the long-term impact of the pandemic.
The Age UK Advice Line, 0800 678 1602, is open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year - even on Christmas Day.
8. The Donkey Sanctuary
What could be more Christmassy than donkeys? The charity relies entirely on donations to provide the best lives for the donkeys in its care and improve the lives of donkeys and mules around the world.
There are lots of ways to get involved, including donating, volunteering, and even offering donkey homes or adopting a donkey as a Christmas gift.
9. SSAFA Christmas Campaign
The SSAFA is a military charity supporting the military community and veterans alike. The charity has revealed that housing is the biggest crisis facing service personnel as well as many experiencing loneliness in the lead-up to Christmas – with well over two-thirds saying that they felt lonelier than usual at Christmas.
Much of SSAFA's work with the Armed Forces community helps combat loneliness, providing practical and emotional support. Your donation will help them to support military families who may be apart at this time of year, those transitioning to civilian life, and veterans as well.
10. Christian Aid Christmas Appeal
Last year Christian Aid raised £1.1 million to help people facing poverty across the world. This year's Christmas Appeal hopes to top that, building hope for communities and fighting for change where people face terrible crises across the world.
11. GOSH Christmas Stocking Appeal
Every child should have the chance to be at home with their family for Christmas Day.
Your donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity can make a huge difference in helping to fund vital resources that GOSH needs to get seriously ill children back home as quickly as possible.
For those children whose treatment needs to continue over the festive season, your support can help bring Christmas to the hospital and make it feel like a home from home.
12. The Dog's Trust
A dog is for life, not just for Christmas. Why then is Christmas the busiest time for rescue charities such as The Dog's Trust?
Every year the charity works to educate would-be dog owners as to whether they really are ready to look after a dog full time, 24/7, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They also provide some brilliant information about looking after your dog, including how to combat behavioural issues and issues that may have arisen due to complications from lockdown, such as separation anxiety.
In past years the Dog's Trust has also delivered hampers to homeless hounds on the streets at Christmas. You can donate to support their continued work.
We'd also recommend checking out their Gift Shop for Christmas essentials including Christmas cards, crackers, gift wrap, stockings, and more.
13. The British Red Cross
The British Red Cross helps people in crisis situations in the UK and worldwide. In the UK, that could mean loaning a wheelchair to someone in need or even offering home care after a hospital stay. The British Red Cross provides support and equipment in an emergency, with its trained volunteers delivering vital help during flooding, fire or adverse weather.
Internationally, the British Red Cross partners with the Red Cross or Red Crescent National Society to provide aid during humanitarian crises and natural disasters in over 190 countries. The Red Cross supports refugees, survivors of trafficking and emergencies.
Donate to the British Red Cross to help people in desperate need. Alternatively, you can shop the British Red Cross charity Christmas cards and gifts that help support the cause.
14. The Air Ambulance Service
The Air Ambulance Service responds to emergencies quickly, sending paramedics and doctors to give injured individuals the best chance of survival. An emergency could be a traffic collision, industrial accident, or at home where someone needs life-saving treatment. When the weather is too rough for a helicopter, the Air Ambulance Service responds to emergencies in its Critical Care Cars 24/7 and 365 days a year.
The charity also runs the Children’s Air Ambulance, which gets critically ill babies to hospital four times faster than by land and has specialist equipment onboard.
The Air Ambulance Service does not receive government funding and relies entirely on donations. You can make a donation to The Air Ambulance Service online. There are other ways to support, such as purchasing charity Christmas cards and kids' toys through the Air Ambulance Service website.
15. Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child
Samaritan's Purse aims to send 260,000 gifts to children by New Year's Eve. This charity has sent 220 million shoebox gifts since 1990.
Operation Christmas Child is a shoebox appeal that delivers gifts of toys, games, and school supplies to children around the world. You can build a shoebox online for a £25 donation or send a pre-packed shoebox. Also, a shoebox can be gifted on behalf of someone else, and they can enjoy selecting what goes into the shoebox online.
For many children, this will be their first-ever gift.
Samaritan's Purse is a Christian charity that provides humanitarian aid and emergency relief and helps communities to develop. The scope of this charity is immense; it provides clean water, training and resources to support farming and life-changing medical treatment. Donating makes a difference.
How to donate safely this Christmas
Data from Action Fraud reveals that £1.6m of the public’s money was lost to online charity fraud over the past year. To make sure your money goes to your intended charity, and not to scammers, be mindful of the following tips:
• Check the charity name and its registration number on the Charity Commission website to find out whether the charity is legitimate.
• Use the Fundraising Regulator’s online Directory to find out whether a charity has registered with it and committed to excellent fundraising.
• Look out for the Fundraising Badge on charity marketing materials – when people see it, they can have confidence in the charity’s fundraising.
• Ask questions about the cause – if people are still unsure about giving, they should always ask for more information. Legitimate causes will be happy to respond.
Stephanie Spencer is the Deputy Digital Editor of Yours.co.uk. Having worked across a variety of topics, from travel and food to pharmaceuticals, she also has a particular interest in mental health and wellness. She has a house full of pets with two dogs and two cats.