The Oxford Homeless Project has given out 100 hampers for Christmas this year HUNDREDS of hampers will be given out to feed the homeless this Christmas in place of a meal. Usually the Oxford Homeless Project organises a Christmas celebration lunch on Christmas Day at the Kings Centre, Osney. But due to the pandemic the volunteer organisation said it had to rethink how to support Oxford’s most vulnerable . This year it decided to make and give out 100 hampers to households who are struggling in East Oxford. These had been given out to the project s regular guests who usually attend the Christmas meals, but the project also reached out to anyone in the community who needed a helping hand.
GROUPS working to tackle homelessness are trying to make sure winter support and Christmas dinners are still available despite the pandemic. During the winter, Oxford City Council usually activates its severe weather emergency protocol (SWEP) to get rough sleepers into temporary shelter. And at the same time, charities usually offer extra food for rough sleepers or company for the lonely. But the pandemic has made this more difficult in 2020. The Oxfordshire Homeless Movement is co-ordinating efforts between these groups to tackle rough sleeping while navigating the difficulties of the coronavirus. The movement is also appealing for public help to continue its work.