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Frequently asked questions

Find out more about the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal

What is the ±«Óãtv Radio 4 Christmas Appeal with St Martin-in-the-Fields?

For 97 years the ±«Óãtv and St Martin-in-the-Fields have partnered to raise support from Radio 4 listeners to support people away from homelessness. In the last two years, the Appeal has raised over £9 million. The money we raise funds the work of St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity, supporting people away from homelessness.

How does St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity spend the money donated by Radio 4 listeners?

St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity (Charity no 1156305) exists so that everyone has a place to call home. With the help of our supporters, we support frontline workers and organisations across the UK. Together, we ensure that everyone experiencing homelessness can secure - and keep - a safe place to live.

We help people in vulnerable situations to find and keep a home. Wherever it’s needed, we seek to provide emergency financial help that allows someone to secure or keep safe accommodation. These small grants alleviate worry and stress and can transform a person’s circumstances within a matter of days.

We help people to recover from homelessness. Through our Frontline Fund and support of The Connection at St Martin's, we connect people from across the UK with experts who understand the complexity of their situation and who listen and then help. Step by step, this provides the long-term, tailored support that allows people to regain their health, home and their independence.

We work to ensure that the best quality support is always on offer. The Frontline Network works with our partner organisations and networks across the UK, to ensure that people experiencing homelessness are aided in the most effective ways possible - linking professionals on a national level and funding important, related services in areas such as mental health care, legal advice, and the support of marginalised young people.

Through our generous supporters, we have developed programmes that enable us to support frontline service delivery in all four nations of the UK.

How can I donate to the Christmas Appeal?

BY PHONE

You can donate by calling 0800 082 82 84 — which is free from landlines and mobiles.

(Between 8AM and 10PM Monday to Sunday)

BY POST

If you prefer to donate by cheque, please make your cheque payable to the St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal and post it to us at Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 4JN. To send your gift using Freepost by just putting FREEPOST ST MARTINS CHRISTMAS APPEAL onto an envelope and the Post Office will deliver it to us, at no cost to you.

If you are a UK taxpayer and would like the Christmas Appeal to reclaim the tax you have paid on your donation through the Gift Aid scheme, you can download our Just print it, fill it in and send it to us with your cheque.

Alternatively, you can fill out an online .

ONLINE

Use a credit or debit card to make your donation, just by clicking

The link above will redirect you to the St Martin-in-the fields donation page and its use is subject to their .

BY CAF

You can make a payment directly from your . Please add the reference ‘St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal’.

BY JUSTGIVING AND PAYPAL

Make your donation, just by clicking

The link above will redirect you to JustGiving’s website and its use is subject to their and .

BY DIRECT DEBIT

If you are a regular supporter of the Christmas Appeal – or you would like to be – you may want to consider setting up a . You can also download our , complete it and return to FREEPOST ST MARTINS CHRISTMAS APPEAL

BY BANK TRANSFER

If, for whatever reason, you prefer to donate via bank transfer, please send an email to info@stmartinscharity.org.uk, so that we can securely pass on the correct details to you.

FROM OVERSEAS

The easiest way to donate to us is via direct bank transfer. As above, please do send an email to info@stmartinscharity.org.uk, so that we can securely pass on the correct details to you.

What is the Vicar’s Relief Fund?

Across the UK, The Vicar's Relief Fund provides financial support so that more people have a safe place to call home. Our grants help people to secure accommodation by covering costs such as a rental deposit or to clear rent arrears. And this funding can transform a person’s circumstances quickly, effectively and often in a matter of days.

The VRF provides up to:

  • £350 for people who need help to prevent eviction e.g. for rent arrears, service charge arrears, debt relief orders, bankruptcy fees, money to pay for a hoarding clean-up.
  • £500 for people who need help accessing accommodation e.g. for rent deposits, rent in advance, admin fees, ID document fees, temporary accommodation costs

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What is the Frontline Fund?

St Martin's Charity funds organisations all across the UK which are working in local communities to address the many different aspects of homelessness. From providing services to young people, to working with those who slip through the net of mainstream support, they fund new programmes alongside solutions which are tried and tested. And, this way, they work so that everyone has a safe place to call home and the support they need.

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What is The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields?

In the very centre of London, St Martin's Charity funds The Connection at St Martin’s (Reg. Charity Number 1078201), a specialist service that enables people sleeping rough to find the support they need and a safe place to live.

This funding makes a range of support possible, from helping people to access benefits to referring them for medical treatment. And it allows the staff at The Connection to maintain a flexible approach which places people at the heart of their own recovery, and which understands that anyone’s journey can be both complex and long-term.

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How much does the Appeal raise?

The Christmas Appeal has raised over £9m in the last two years.

Does the ±«Óãtv pay for any of the advertising done in connection with the Appeal?

The ±«Óãtv does not pay for any advertising in connection with this Appeal. If paid advertising is used to promote the Appeal, the cost is borne by St-Martin-in-the-Fields Charity.

Fundraising Standards

St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity is signed up to the Fundraising Regulator’s as well as to the . These agreements set out the standards that we must meet to ensure that our fundraising is legal, open, honest and respectful. It’s an agreement that is incredibly important to us