Due to the cost of living crisis, many families have been struggling, especially over the festive season. Having to choose between food on the table and heating during the cold weather is not a choice that families should have to make, but unfortunately, now it is a common decision.

Spread the joy this Christmas time and also give back to those who need it. If you feel like you can donate and support to a charity this year, please take a look at the great charities and organisations we have gathered.

Here are some charities you can donate to:

Great Ormond Street Hospital Christmas Stocking Appeal

GOSH is a children's hospital that provides care to children with serious illnesses. Every day, about 600 children and young people from across the UK arrive for life-changing treatments. This extraordinary hospital has always depended on charitable support, and every day is a chance for you to make a difference.

Donate here.

**The BookTrust Christmas Appeal**

BookTrust is the UK’s largest children’s reading charity. Each year BookTrust reach millions of children across the UK with books, resources and support to help develop a love of reading. They aim to provide access to reading to all families, and deliver more targeted programmes aimed at helping those who need us most – families facing economic hardship, children in care or children with additional needs.
BookTrust are passionate about trying to give every child the best possible start in life.
To support click **here**.

**The Toy Appeal**

Toy Appeal provides toy sacks to children from 0-17 years, regardless of race, religion and gender, referred by a social worker, a school, a food bank or a women’s refuge. On average, each child will receive 8 carefully selected different items in their toy sack:
A main present appropriate to the child’s age, a stocking filler, a board game or puzzle, books, arts & crafts item, teddy, ball / sports item.
Donate **here**.

The Trussell Trust

Trussell Trust support a nationwide network of food banks and provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty. They also campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. They have more than 1,200 food banks in the UK to provide a minimum of three days’ of nutritious emergency food to people who have been referred in crisis, as well as support to help people resolve the crisis they face. New figures released by the Trussell Trust reveal that 1.3m emergency food parcels were provided to people between April and September this year by food banks in the charity’s UK network and almost half a million of these went to children.

Donate here.

Action for Children UK

"We protect and support children and young people, providing practical and emotional care and support. We ensure their voices are heard, and campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives."
80% of children and young people that receive help across England do better after accessing services. For every £1 spent, 86p goes directly towards helping children, young people and their families.
Support them **here**.

Rumi’s Kitchen

Their mission is to tackle food insecurity and food wastage, serving not only delicious and nutritious food, but nourishing souls with good conversation to those feeling lonely or isolated. Some of the services provided include free breakfast and lunch, emergency food parcels and a food bank.
A £5 donation can feed 1 person & a £10 donation can feed 2 people a hot, high quality, nutritious meal.
Donate **here**.

Oxfam Unwrapped

Oxfam tackles the inequality that keeps people poor. Together, they strive save, protect and rebuild lives when disaster strikes. We help people build better lives for themselves, and for others.

For Christmas you can buy a giftcard and donate to help fund a project in Oxfam.

Donate here.