Crisis at Christmas 2014 runs from December 23 – 30, with centres set to open across London, Newcastle and Edinburgh. As well as warmth, companionship and hot meals, guests will also receive healthcare and specialist advice on housing, work and benefits.
The dental service relies on qualified volunteers to provide a range of routine dental treatments including check-ups, scaling, polishing and fillings. Last year, 404 dental consultations took place with 304 guests receiving a treatment across all centres. On top of this, 270 guests were directed to where they can NHS dental treatment in London during the rest of the year.
Crisis at Christmas centres are run by thousands of volunteers from all walks of life with registration now open at crisis.org.uk/volunteer.
Ann Kirplani, who has volunteered across a number of roles in London, said: “I always thought volunteering at Christmas would be a lovely thing to do but was scared not knowing what to expect. Now eight years later, Christmas day is not Christmas day unless I’m volunteering with Crisis.
“Seeing the volunteers spending time chatting to guests, doing their hair and giving them health check-ups – this is what Christmas is all about for me. It truly makes you grateful for all the small pleasures that you have in life.”
Homelessness has risen substantially in recent years, with government statistics showing a 37 per cent rise in rough sleeping in England since 2010.
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said: “Being homeless can be a cold, miserable experience and never more so than at Christmas when most of us are sharing in the warmth of family and friends.
“By helping make Christmas happen for homeless people, volunteers can not only bring some much-needed cheer to our guests but also set them up with the chance to have a more positive year ahead through the life-changing services at our Crisis Skylight centres.”