Bohemia Village Voice

This year is the 21st anniversary of the Surviving Christmas project, which endeavours to provide food and company for those for whom Christmas is a time of hardship and loneliness. The event will operate on December 25th and 26th at the YMCA Sports Centre in St Paul’s Road, Bohemia. All visitors to the centre, will be provided with Christmas lunch, shelter, company, a change of clothes, hot showers – and a free haircut!
  The organisers will also be packing and distributing hampers to families and individuals who find Christmas a financial struggle. In addition, they will be providing food vouchers to families and individuals. Surviving Christmas is a charity which meets monthly, throughout the year to plan, and raise funds for, its annual Open Christmas, held at the YMCA.
  The event is open to everyone, everything is free, and no questions are asked. There is a stock of clothing offering new & (clean) second-hand clothing for men, women and children in a huge variety of sizes. There are tea bars open all day dispensing tea, coffee, soft drinks, cakes, biscuits, sweets etc. Volunteers provide a range of services including hairdressing and sometimes chiropody. Showers and hair washing facilities are also available.
  Each day the organisers serve a cooked meal – complete with a pudding – for up to one hundred and fifty visitors. In addition to the Open Christmas the Voucher and Hamper projects are also undertaken. The charity relies entirely on donations of goods, services, and money as well as a small army of volunteers who do all of the hard work. If you feel that you can help in any way or simply wish to know more please contact Surviving Christmas. They are especially keen to acquire the services of a chef, as Chris Gimblett, who was going to do the job, sadly died earlier this year.
“ Surviving Christmas. Eileen Kilby 01424 424550. Judith Wycherley: 01424 424719.  www.survivingchristmas.co.uk Charity Number 1033117.