By Elspeth Kernebone
3 December 2021
A CHURCH initiative is making special effort to help people in need this Christmas by giving out goods hampers.
St Peter’s Eastern Hill plans to continue its work to support the vulnerable over Christmas through both its social enterprise Heaven at the Hill, run in partnership with Fareshare, and the Lazarus Centre breakfast program.
It’s part of efforts to make sure people in need feel valued as part of a society at Christmas, and beyond.
The hampers for people experiencing homelessness will include food, and essential items such as socks and underwear.
St Peter’s Eastern Hill Charitable Foundation chair Krystyna Campbell-Pretty said the COVID-19 pandemic had increased the number of people in need everywhere, including in the cohort of people experiencing homelessness.
Mrs Campbell-Pretty said more people were also needing help from social enterprise Heaven at the Hill, after COVID-19 “cut the legs from everyone”.
Ms Campbell-Pretty said St Peter’s made the extra effort at Christmas, because culturally it was an important time.
“It’s a time when people can normally reunite with family, and connect with people they love. A lot of the homeless don’t have that luxury,” Mrs Campbell-Pretty said.
“What we’re really trying to say is, ‘You’re still part of society, you’re still part of a group of human beings, and we care about you’.”
