Christmas 2022 - Making Christmas Great Again

25th November 2022

There are lots of things happening that you can get involved in, both leading up to the big day, and on Christmas Day itself.

RECEIVING A HOT MEAL

For many, Christmas can be a very lonely time, so this year we want to try to include as many people as possible, to spread and share, some Christmas cheer. We understand from talking to people that ‘a great Christmas’ means different things to different people, so, this year we want to offer a lot of different options for people to get involved in a way that is best for them.

Options for people to enjoy a great Christmas will be:

• Receiving a plated hot dinner delivered to their home
• Being invited to share a Christmas meal at someone’s home
• Going to a Christmas dinner being hosted in the community

If you know someone who would like any of the above options, please register their details and preferences using this form.

We know that more people than ever will need help and support this Christmas, however our focus will be supporting vulnerable, elderly people who live alone (or an unpaid carer).

VOLUNTEERING THIS CHRISTMAS

For anyone who could volunteer to help at Christmas this year, we may be looking for people who could:

• Prepare a plated meal at home and deliver it to someone
• Collect a plated meal (from a pub/restaurant) and deliver it to someone
• Collect someone from their home and take them to a community Christmas meal
• Help out at a community Christmas meal
• Host someone at your home to share Christmas cheer and a meal
• Wrap gifts and hampers in the week before Christmas
• Deliver gifts to Ukrainian refugees across Dorset

To register to volunteer on Christmas Day, please register here

CHRISTMAS GIFT DONATIONS

We know that lots of people need help this year, but we are working hard to help some of Dorset’s most vulnerable residents. This year will be the first Christmas that Dorset’s Ukrainian refugees have been away from their homes, friends and families. Around 750 Ukrainians are now calling the safety of Dorset home, and we want to bring them some joy this Christmas.

We are asking for any monetray donations to be made through our Crowdfunder. We are hoping to recieve match funding on our Crowdfunder Project, which could mean that your donations could be doubled, or even tripled!

If you're not able to donate money, we also need donated gifts for children and adults, that we can give as individual gifts or make into family hampers. These will be delivered in the days leading up to Christmas.

​Gifts items could include:

• Christmas goodies
• Sweets and treats
• Toiletries
• Hats, gloves and scarves
• Toys, craft packs, stationery

The deadline for gifts being dropped off is 16 December 2022.

Drop off points across Dorset are:

Bridport
Bridport Town Council
Mountfield
Bridport
DT6 3JP
Open: Monday and Wednesday, 9am-5pm, Friday, 9am-4pm

Blandford
Blandford Children's Centre
Black Lane
Blandford Forum
DT11 8SW
Open: Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm

Blandford Community Hub
Heddington Drive
Blandford
DT11 7TP
Open: Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm

Corfe Mullen
Corfe Mullen Town Council
Council Offices
Towers Way
Corfe Mullen
Wimborne
BH21 3UA
Phone: 01202 698600
Open: Monday-Friday, 9am-2pm

Dorchester
Volunteer Centre Dorset
The Coach House
Acland Road
Dorchester
DT1 1EF
Phone: 01305 269214
Open: Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm

Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury Town Council office
Shaftesbury Town Hall
High Street
Shaftesbury
SP7 8LY
Phone: 01747 852420
Open: Monday-Friday, 10am-2pm

Shaftesbury Plus
The Trinity Centre
Bimport
Shaftesbury
SP7 8BW
Phone: 01747 854959
Open: Monday-Friday, 9am-3.30pm

Sherborne
Sherborne Connect
The Shielings
The Avenue
Sherborne
DT9 3AJ
Phone: 01935 816321
Open: Monday-Friday, 9am-3.30pm

Sturminster Newton
Stour Connect
Stour View Close
Sturminster Newton
DT10 1JF
Open: Monday-Thursday, 9am-4.30pm; Friday, 9am-4pm

Upton
Lewis Dean
4 Moorland Way Parade
Upton
Poole
BH16 5JS
Open: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm; Saturday 9am-1pm

Verwood
Verwood Town Council office
Council Offices
28 Vicarage Road
Verwood
BH31 6DW
Phone: 01202 820880
Open: Monday-Friday, 9am-1pm

Verwood Day Centre
Jenner Close
Verwood
BH31 7QE
Open: Monday-Friday, 10am-3.30pm

Wareham
Wareham Parish Hall
 3 The Quay
Wareham
BH20 4LP
Open: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am-12noon

West Moors
West Moors Town Council office
4 Park Way
West Moors
BH22 0HL
Phone: 01202 861044
Open, Monday-Friday, 10am-2pm

Weymouth
Weymouth Information Shop
98 St Mary Street
Weymouth
DT4 8NY
Open: Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm

Wimborne
Allendale Centre
Hanham Rd
Wimborne Minster
Wimborne
BH21 1AS
Open: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm