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Churches across South Wales are uniting in their support for homeless and refugee charities this Christmas.

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St Mary's Church Butetown are collecting hats, gloves and toiletries for residents of The Salvation Army's Ty Gobaith hostel and homeless service. The church is also raising money for Women Seeking Sanctuary Advocacy Group who work with women refugees and their families."Christmas celebrations are about reaching out to people, meeting Christ in the poor, meeting Christ in those who are homeless, meeting Christ in those who are seeking safety," says Fr Dean Atkins, Ministry Area Leader for Cardiff South."Christmas is a celebration of the incarnation of God in the flesh - of God being part of the fabric of what it means to be human. The incarnation means that Jesus is in our midst and Jesus is for everyone. Our Christmas appeal is a nice practical gesture, an act of kindness and a reaching out to those who are often excluded from society and from community."

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Churches often play a vital role in tackling homelessness. When the pandemic hit, the Welsh Government made £10 million of funding available to kick start the emergency response to homelessness. Local authorities partnered with housing associations, third sector organizations, and private landlords, to help individuals into accommodation and to provide the support services they needed – and the church was a crucial part of that.The impact was significant - in 2020 the ONS found no deaths registered in Wales from COVID-19 of individuals identified as homeless, and the number of homeless people in temporary accommodate nearly doubled, from 3,577 in August 2020 to 6,817 in August 2021. In October 2019 an estimated 92 people were rough sleeping in Cardiff, in September 2021 that was estimated at just 20.Chris Auckland, Senior Outreach Officer, says, "Jesus calls us to love and care for those society has marginalised, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to welcome strangers. Churches, in partnership with local authorities and other third sector organizations, can make a real and lasting difference in the lives of those who find themselves homeless or in need of refuge.Jesus calls us to love and care for those society has marginalised

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Caerphilly and Aber Valley

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Citizen Church Cardiff and Caerphilly and Aber Valley Ministry Area are working together to bring Love Christmas campaign to the local community. Bags of Kindness will be distributed to:1100 school children.119 homeless people via Cornerstone Support Services.5 people moving out of debt thanks to Christians Against Poverty.324 people in local care/sheltered accommodation.Lay Chair Deryn McAndrew says “It is wonderful to see so many groups coming together to assist in reaching out to the community at this special time. We have achieved so much, thanks to our dedicated and hard-working teams.“Caerphilly & Eglwysilan Mothers’ Union have knitted a huge Christmas Tree which will be recycled into blankets for the homeless after Christmas. Knitted Christmas Tree to be turned into blankets for the homeless - LLandaff Diocese (churchinwales.org.uk)

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Aberdare

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The Parish of Aberdare are raising money for Centrepoint and Crisis Cymru. "We will be praying for those who may not experience the joy of the Christmas this year, " says Rhodri Dowland Owen, Parish of Aberdare."It is quite easy to be swept up in the commercialisation of Christmas. Jesus was born for all of us, born in a stable with nothing for those who have nothing.

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Cathays, Cardiff

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Cardiff East Rotary and the Parish of Cathays are collecting winter coats, jumpers and shoes for distribution to the Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Cardiff this winter.They have collected 100 coats, numerous jumpers and 60 pairs of shoes.The parish also hosted a dramatic Reading of Mark's Gospel and raised £100 for a local refugee charity.

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Charity is not just for Christmas

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The need to support refugees and tackle homelessness needs to be priority when the Christmas celebrations end, says Fr Dean."The need for this is all year round. It's not just at Christmas. Anyone at any time can support the work of homeless services and support those who are working with refugees. "Let us be kind to each other. Let us reach out to those who are homeless, those who are seeking sanctuary and to offer them welcome today and everyday."

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End Homelessness.Support Crisis Cymru.

Donate

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Referenceswww.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsofhomelesspeopleinenglandandwales/2020registrationshttps://gov.wales/homelessness-accommodation-provision-and-rough-sleeping-september-2021https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/statistics-and-research/2020-02/national-rough-sleeper-count-november-2019-814.pdf