Julia and Hans Rausing make £175,000 winter donations to the vulnerable across Gloucestershire and London

Julia and Hans Rausing have today given over £175,000 to charities in Gloucestershire and London, in order to support the vulnerable and those in need through the Christmas period.

The gift is to be split across 22 charities, giving them the funds to provide food hampers as well as provide support for those on their own or in difficult situations this winter.

Some of the charities that are being supported include:

The Stroud, Gloucester and Cirencester Food Banks: Food banks which will be providing food hampers to people in the community for Christmas;
The Long Table: A social enterprise which has provided 48,000 freshly cooked frozen meals to food hubs and local supply chains across Gloucestershire during the recent lockdowns. The funds will go to providing Christmas meals and festive bags for people who are shielding and isolated due to the pandemic; and
Age UK Gloucestershire: The donation will help provide phone support for people who are lonely this Christmas as well as activity packs;
Kensington & Chelsea Foundation: The Kensington & Chelsea Christmas Collective, led by K&C Foundation and SMART London (https://www.whatifchristmas.com) is providing ‘Christmas in a Box’ for people in need across Kensington and Chelsea, including a meal and a small gift; and
Hands on London: Supporting van and driver costs to help deliver Wrap Up London and provide warm coats to those in need.

Julia and Hans Rausing commented: “Our home communities of Gloucestershire and London have some wonderful charities supporting them and we are pleased to be able to help these organisations as they provide food and support for people, especially at Christmas.”

Barbara Williams, Head of Fundraising at Age UK Gloucestershire, commented: “Age UK Gloucestershire is extremely grateful to the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust for their kind support. Their grant has enabled us to make welfare calls to check on some of our more vulnerable older people, to make sure they have what they need, are connected to family and friends and are happy and healthy this Christmas.

“We have also been able to send small Christmas gifts to older people across the county, to remind them that we are thinking of them, and that the Age UK Gloucestershire Help Team is at the end of a telephone line if they need any extra support. This can be a life-line for people who are isolated or have nowhere else to turn, and it will make a real difference this winter.”

The full list of charities being supported by The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust is:

Gloucester City Mission
Gloucester Salvation Army
The Gloucestershire Society
Stroud Women’s Refuge
Stroud Salvation Army
Stroud Food Bank
Gloucester Food Bank
Cirencester Food Bank
Age UK Gloucestershire
Nelson Trust
Allsorts
GL11
Nailsworth Youth Club
The Long Table
Marah
Malmesbury Food Bank
K&C Foundation/ SMART
City Harvest
Dad’s House
Hands On London
Dalgarno Trust
240 Project

8 December 2020

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