Every year Christmas and the 'festive season' sees an increase in loneliness, but remember that the Samaritans can provide 24 hour emotional support; calls on 116 123 are free. They can also be reached in other ways, and their opening hours and further information is on their website. Many thanks to their volunteers and staff.
There are also places offering free Christmas meals to the homeless and lonely in Hastings, for example, on Christmas Day The London Trader at 4-7 East Beach Street is offering a free Christmas lunch to anyone who wants one, in their words "don't go hungry, miserable or lonely, come in, see us and get fed!" (facebook) Nice one! 👍
Also, Dom's Food Mission is providing dinner on Christmas Day (above), and the Council's website shows other help and food available, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day meals at the Salvation Army in St Andrews Square.
As I've also already said (blog), it's more than just a seasonal problem these days, and foodbanks appear to be with us long term now, and Hastings Foodbank (website) is desperate for certain items:
UHT Milk, Full Fat and Semi-skimmed;
Tinned Meat (but not corned beef and pork);
Tinned Vegetables (especially peas and carrots);
Tinned Fruit;
Coffee.
Also required are: Toilet Rolls;
Toiletries (shower gel, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste);
Tinned Fish;
Tinned Potatoes;
Tinned Rice Pudding;
Jam;
Fruit Juice.
There are Foodbank donation points all over Hastings, and full details of addresses and opening times are at the website, and include the HBC Community Contact Centre (Muriel Matters House), The Hastings Centre (The Ridge), Tesco Extra (St Leonards), Sainsbury's (Station Approach), Asda, Tesco Express (Havelock Road), Morrisons, NatWest Bank (Havelock Road), and Nationwide Building Society branches.
Stay safe and secure and watch out for each other folks, and much respect to those offering help and charity. Any other places where help can be found, eg free dinners, please feel free to add in comments, cheers!
