News

This year both local charities and Saga colleagues have benefited from the companies new Reverse Advent Calendar.

Reversing the concept of the advent calendar, Saga’s innovative new scheme has brought festive cheer and do good for charities and communities across Kent and Sussex. Instead of following the traditional concept of advent and indulging on something every day, Saga’s Reverse Advent has given something back through providing donations to local charities in the run up to Christmas.

With advent traditionally commencing on 1st December, the campaign ran throughout the first 12 days of Christmas, finishing on Thursday 12^th December, with the following 12 individual charities each benefiting from a £200 donation.

 

1^st December: Porchlight - supporting vulnerable and homeless people in Kent.

2^nd December: The Rainbow Centre, Folkestone - offering homeless support, winter shelter, foodbanks, and more.

3^rd December: Folkestone, Dover & Hythe Samaritans - offering emotional and suicidal support.

4^th December: The Trussell Trust - working to stop UK hunger and poverty. Their network of foodbanks provides emergency food and support to people in crisis.

5^th December: Emmaus - working together to end homelessness in Dover. Emmaus Dover is a charity that provides a home and meaningful work to 27 formerly homeless people.

6^th December: Carers Support East Kent - supporting those who care for a relative or friend.

7^th December: Home Start Shepway – providing support and friendship for families.

8^th December: Thanet Food Link (Food Bank) - operating as an independent food bank.

9^th December: The Hastings & Rother Samaritans - supporting the local community in a number of ways, including training and supporting listening volunteers at Maidstone Prison, giving talks in the Hastings and Rother area, and working with the Woodlands Centre for Acute Care in St. Leonards.

10^th December: Warming up the homeless (Hastings) - helping people without a home, one meal, hot drink or change of clothes at a time.

11^th December: South Kent MIND – promoting better mental health and wellbeing across Folkestone, Hythe, Romney Marsh, Dover, Deal and surrounding areas.

12^th December: Home Start Thanet – offering early intervention support to parents with young children throughout Thanet.

Helen Wathen, Charity Fundraising and Community Manager at Saga said: “Saga’s Reverse Advent Calendar scheme has been introduced with the hope of making Christmas easier for a number of people in need for a variety of reasons across Kent and Sussex. We wanted to do something different this year and hope that we are able to contribute in making a huge difference for people in December and going into the New Year. We wanted to really celebrate the meaning of the festive season by giving instead of receiving.”

In addition to these deserving charities receiving much needed donations, Saga colleagues have also benefited from a daily prize draw during this festive period.

Ali Chambers, CEO at Rainbow Centre said: “I would like to thank the staff team at Saga for their support of the Rainbow Centre. As a small local charity, donations such as this, make a real difference and allow us to continue our work with some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

ENDS