Christmas isn’t Christmas unless it involves giving to people who can’t give back. Anything else is just swapping, really.

So it’s time for Reform’s reverse Advent calendar. Every day you put aside some money, let’s say £1, and at the end, you give the whole pot to a charity that is doing something good in the world on our behalf.

This year, we’re going to keep going throughout Advent and the 12 days of Christmas – from Sunday 1 December until 5 January. If you keep up with that, at a pound a day, you’ll have £36 to give. The Reform Advent calendar will be online, here. Every day we will feature a different charity, explaining what they could do with your money. You can follow it on social media too: @Reform_Mag on Twitter and fb.me/ReformMagazine on Facebook.

Here is a sample of some of the charities you might give to. Have a good Christmas.

---

Train a woman
Christian Aid

Around the world, women – particularly mothers – are facing gender-based oppression, discrimination and violence. Gender inequality is a major cause and effect of poverty. Women often lack the opportunity to earn a decent living and lift themselves out of poverty. This Christmas, Christian Aid is supporting women to empower themselves, challenge inequality and seek justice. Your £36 could provide a woman in India with skills training, like tailoring, and enable her to set up a business and provide for her family.

For more information and to donate to Christian Aid’s Christmas Appeal, visit www.caid.org.uk/christmas-appeal or phone 020 7523 2493

__

Answer the phone
Age UK

Later life can bring many challenges, such as coming to terms with a bereavement or becoming a carer for a loved one, yet more than 2.5 million older people feel they have no one to turn to for help and support. Age UK’s telephone advice line is open every day of the year – including Christmas Day – and gives clear, practical guidance that helps make complicated situations easier. Your gift of £36 this Christmas could help Age UK answer the next call, and provide in-depth support for an older person who needs it.

For more information and to donate, visit www.ageuk.org.uk/no-one
or call 0800 169 8787

___

Provide disabled access
Embrace the Middle East

Lack of mobility equipment and poor housing is a real problem for disabled people living in poverty in the Middle East. Often trapped in unsuitable buildings, they find themselves living in just one room, isolated and missing out on school or work. Sometimes they can’t even make it to the loo without help. For £35, the Access All Areas alternative gift goes towards a wheelchair, prosthesis or other life changing equipment, giving disabled children and adults the freedom to move around their homes and the opportunity to access all areas.

For more information, or to buy this gift, visit shop.embraceme.org/products/access-all-areas or call 01227 811646

___

Feed a child
Compassion UK

Compassion UK exists to empower children left vulnerable by poverty across Asia, Africa and South America. Their approach is summed up by three words: Compassion for children. They connect one child born into poverty with one sponsor – someone just like you. By sponsoring a child, you send them to school, feed them nutritious meals and protect their health with regular medical checkups. Sometimes children in the Child Sponsorship Programme have needs beyond this regular care, and so the Compassion Interventions scheme equips the charity to take action in emergencies. A donation from you can help change the life of a child living in poverty, provide vital nutrition to a new mother and her baby, or provide emergency relief after a disaster.

For more information, and to donate, visit www.compassionuk.org or call 01932 836490.

___

Keep a child warm
Action for Children

For most of us, the festive season is a happy time. But there are children all over the UK who face a Christmas without food, warmth or love. In the last decade, life for many vulnerable children has reached breaking point. Action for Children is working hard to change this but need your help. This festive season, the children’s charity are looking for a sleighful of secret santas to help raise money for children falling into crisis. Your £36 donation could provide a child in need with a hot meal or warm winter clothes.

For more information, and to donate, visit iamsanta.org.uk/reform or call 0300 123 2112

___

Dress wounds
Médecins Sans Frontières

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) provides emergency assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics and disasters, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. They work in over 70 countries and go to places where others cannot or choose not to go. Living in a village near Mawza, Yemen, 18-year-old Ali was running to meet friends when suddenly a landmine exploded. His right leg had to be amputated. The MSF field hospital in Mocha remains the only health facility performing emergency surgery on the local population in the area. Since the incident, Ali attends physiotherapy twice a week at the MSF hospital with his therapist, Farouk. Your gift of £36 could provide dressings kits to treat 30 wounded patients.

For more information, and to donate, visit msf.me/2JDSwAA
or call 020 7404 6600

___

This article was published in the December 2019/January 2020 edition of Reform

Subscribe to Reform