Christmas arrived early at the layby, with an evening of festive activities and thoughtful gestures.
Father Christmas visits
A big thank you to Michael Hewett, who took on the role of Father Christmas, greeting everyone and handing out Christmas gift bags. These brought smiles to many faces and added a festive touch to the evening.
Festive singalong
The Chelmsford Community Gospel Choir led a singalong of Christmas songs, which many joined in with. Their performance was enjoyed by all.
Practical support
Our Cool to be Kind outreach, Warm Hearts for Cold Hands, handed out warm clothing and essentials to those who needed them. Streetfood provided hot meals, which were appreciated on a cold evening.
Generous donations
We’re grateful to Greggs for donating sandwiches, pies, pastries, and baguettes, which were enjoyed on the night. Chrissy served tea, coffee, and hot chocolate to keep everyone warm.
Marks & Spencer also donated bread, which will be shared with Sanctus Homeless Charity. Thanks to June for organising the delivery to ensure it reached those who need it.
Next week
With Christmas Day falling on Wednesday, next week’s gathering at the layby will take place on Tuesday 24 December at 4.30pm.
Finally, thank you to everyone who donated Greggs vouchers. These have been a great help this Christmas and will continue to support those in need over the coming weeks.
If you’d like to help this winter, consider supporting The Rucksack Project. Fill a rucksack with essential items for those experiencing homelessness – you can find all the details on our Rucksack Project page.