Help Jackson's Lane make Christmas for vulnerable older adults

• Jacksons Lane welcomes back 100 vulnerable older adults who would otherwise be alone to its newly renovated building on Christmas Day for festive celebrations
  
• Volunteers aim to hand deliver 200 Christmas hampers to those who are unable to attend the festivities in-person
• As part of the Big Give, Jacksons Lane seeks donations in order to support their work with isolated older adults

For 45 years Jacksons Lane has been opening  the doors to its beautiful building in Highgate on 25 December in order to welcome in isolated older adults who would otherwise be alone on Christmas Day. Over the years, it has become a regular fixture in many of their guests’ lives, returning year after year to enjoy the food, entertainment and company on offer.

In 2020, with Covid shutting down operations across the country leaving vulnerable older adults at their most isolated, Jacksons Lane made plans to keep things going. Thanks to the surge of donations and people willing to volunteer their time on Christmas Day, hampers packed full of delicious food and grift-wrapped presents were hand delivered to 248 older adults around Haringey, with accompanying doorstep chats.

Jacksons Lane has now made the decision to not only welcome in 100 guests on Christmas Day, but to keep delivering hundreds of hampers to those who are unable to attend the celebrations in person.

In order to make this possible, Jacksons Lane is taking part in the Big Give. From 12 noon on 30 November 2021 to noon on 7 December 2021, any donations given through the Big Give portal will be matched up to a total £9,050. Contributions during this time are doubled – meaning every penny goes further and Jacksons Lane are able to support more people at, what can be, the loneliest time of year for so many older adults.

Community Project Manager, Jen Oliver said: “Christmas Day with Jacksons Lane is an extraordinary community effort where everyone joins forces to ensure no older adult in Haringey is alone on such a special day. This year, we’re set to reach the largest number of isolated adults we’ve ever done before, and its privilege and honour to lead such a magnificent team of volunteers for the third time."

Jacksons Lane are also putting out a call for more volunteers, especially drivers, who would be able to offer their time on Christmas Day to help guests get to and from Jacksons Lane and deliver Christmas hampers around Haringey.

For those wanting to donate a gift for a guest, these can be dropped off, unwrapped, at the front desk of Jacksons Lane.

More information about donating and volunteering can be found on jacksonslane.org.uk/christmas or by emailing christmas@jacksonslane.org.uk