Become a Secret Santa this St Nicholas Day, 6th December
On St Nicholas Day, 6th December, some churches in the UK, and across the globe, commemorate St Nicholas of Myra – a 4th Century Bishop from Turkey – whose journey from Saint to Santa began with his legend for secret gift giving to those in need.
The Rt. Revd. Arun Arora, Bishop of Kirkstall, has written the Archbishop of York's Advent Book Stick with Love, and the reflection today speaks of St Nicholas, and the generosity of giving secretly to those in need.
As one of the founding trustees of Acts 435, the Rt. Revd. Arun Arora said: “St Nicholas Day is an opportunity to reclaim the more secretive aspect of giving and the invitation for each of us to be a Secret Santa – perhaps through random acts of kindness and giving anonymously to people we know or through organised charities such as Acts 435.
“While still a young man Nicholas became known for his generosity to those in need, for rescuing sailors in the Aegean sea, and his concern for the destitute. His Saints Day is marked across the globe each year in different ways, not least in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and northern France, who on 6th December celebrate the festival of Sinter Klass.
“Here in the UK at a time when so many people are in need, Acts 435 puts people who want to help in touch with people who are in need, through a network of churches and local charities. Acts 435 enables virtual, online giving for specific needs. 100% of what is donated via Acts 435 goes directly to those in need. My encouragement to everyone on December 6th, and for this Christmas, is simply: “Be more St Nic!”
In many countries St Nicholas Day is celebrated by filling empty shoes with sweets, nuts and fruit but a gift through Acts 435 can make a bigger difference, helping someone in a crisis or in poverty with a specific item that they so desperately need.
Could you be "more St Nic" and give anonymously towards the specific need of someone who is in need today?
Give to an urgent need today!
The average time for a need to be fully funded is currently 2 days
£125 needed for a double bed
E has two children, one young child and one away at university during the week. They had to flee their home and were unable to take anything with them. We have helped them get established, but the eldest child is without a bed frame. E works part-time but had her hours cut just before Christmas, leaving her with a much reduced income. She also receives benefits, including disability benefit due to mental health struggles, and carers benefit, as she is a carer to her father.
£100 needed for a replacement phone
Our client, R, is an asylum seeker who arrived in our area three months ago, having left his family in Kuwait, and receives £9 per week in financial support. He has engaged with our organisation, attending different activities such as English language classes, chess club and lunch, sport and cultural events each week. R's phone is not working and he would be very grateful for your support in enabling him to replace his phone.
£200 needed for a tumble dryer
S lives with her partner and 5 children. S supports the family by working but she is on a low income so the family are struggling financially and have debts with no savings. S has a tumble dryer but it has broken and is irreparable. As the family is so large there is daily laundry needing washing and drying. There is no outside space to dry the washing at the property so a tumble dryer is an essential. Any help to get one would be gratefully received.
£200 needed for career coaching for an ex-offender
J is an ex offender who was referred to us by Clean Sheet - a Christian organisation who help ex-offenders. He is a former Special Educational Needs Coordinator and lost his job due to his offence. He is an intelligent and gifted man but without purpose or self-confidence, working in a temporary factory job. The coaching will help him find a meaningful career (that is not disqualified by his record) and will show him the gifting he has and the next steps for him.
£120 needed for three months gym membership
S is a newly granted refugee who has now finished her six month membership at Better Health where she used to go to the gym almost everyday. This massively helped with her mental health and she needs some help to get a three month membership for her local gym, to continue going. S struggles with her mental health without exercising, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
£200 needed for a washing machine
L and her husband and teenage son have been living in temporary accommodation for some months and have just moved into social housing which is completely unfurnished. The family are in employment but on a fixed low income and have got into debt with living in temporary housing and the cost of moving. They have no other source of income and need a washing machine for their new home as there is no launderette service nearby and they cannot afford launderette charges so they are struggling to wash their clothes etc.
£100 needed for a single bedframe
Single mum of 5 children, living in a 2 bedroom property in a really deprived area. As a charity we are working with mum to try and make the home more liveable and organized so she doesn't feel so overwhelmed. Mum has bipolar and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder so she finds life incredibly tricky. We are hoping that some donations towards a new bedframe for her son will provide a bit more space in one of the bedrooms. A small bit of space, but a worthwhile bit of space to have.
£180 needed for clothes and shoes for a family of 4
R is an asylum seeker from Pakistan. She is with her husband, son (19) and daughter (13). They left Pakistan because their families were trying to force their daughter into marriage and they were being threatened due to their lack of compliance. The family are currently living in an asylum hotel with very little income. All four family members are in need of clothes and shoes suitable for a British winter.
£120 needed for clothes
Z, our client, is an asylum seeker who arrived in our area two months ago, having left his family in Kuwait, and receives £9 per week in financial support. This client has engaged with our organisation, attending different activities such as English language classes, chess club and lunch, sport and cultural events each week. Z needs help to buy clothes as he doesn't have any, and would be very grateful for your support.