National Charity Celebrations - Leigh-on-Sea

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Leigh On Sea News: National Charity Celebrations – DURING Small Charity Week (23 – 28 June), Southend based The One Love Project says it is proud to join a national celebration of the vital role small charities play in communities across the UK.

National Charity Celebrations - DURING Small Charity Week (23 – 28 June), Southend based The One Love Project says it is proud to join a national celebration of the vital role small charities play in communities across the UK.

DURING Small Charity Week (23 – 28 June), Southend based The One Love Project says it is proud to join a national celebration of the vital role small charities play in communities across the UK.

This year’s campaign shines a spotlight on financial resilience, recognising the incredible efforts of small charities to keep delivering, even as costs rise and funding falls.

Small Charity Week highlights the essential work of the UK’s small charity sector, which supports millions of people and communities every day. Resilient charities create stronger communities, but many are now under more pressure than ever.

In Southend, small charities like The One Love Project play a crucial role in supporting individuals and families who are struggling with the cost of living and experiencing food poverty and homelessness.

The One Love Project supports local people by providing practical and emotional support; offering evening services with hot meals, showers and clothing takeaway packs provided to guests, a weekly food bank and community supermarket, as well as services such as Wellbeing Wednesdays which give access to hobbies, wellbeing and friendship activities as well as partnership working with other services such as Dentaid, Brook, mental and physical health support services and Forward Trust.

They are proud to be part of this collective effort to recognise the power of small charities in local communities.

A spokesperson said: “Small Charity Week is not only a chance to say thank you, but also an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of supporting local charities through donations, fundraising, and volunteering. With many small charities facing the risk of closure, celebrating this week is more vital than ever.”

Hollie Wells, CEO of The One Love Project said: “We’ve seen a steep increase in the demand of our services over the past 12 months. On average we feed 260 local people a week through our Foodbank and 300 through our evening services.

“Throughout 2024 the number of guests using our evening services increased by 25%. Every penny we receive through donations supports our existing and new services, and we appreciate every single donation, share and re-post.

“The opportunity for us to double our donations during Small Charity Week thanks to Big Give, Global’s Make Some Noise and NCVO will be so valuable and mean we can do even more.”

Sarah Elliott, CEO of NCVO said: “Small charities are the beating heart of our sector and the communities they serve.

“But many are now under extraordinary pressure. Costs are rising, income is falling, and demand for their support is soaring. This year, Small Charity Week shines a spotlight on financial resilience. It’s a moment to celebrate the impact of small charities, highlight the challenges they face, and call for the recognition, funding and policy change they urgently need.”

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