At any time of the year, rough sleeping presents a dangerous risk to life for the individuals who are experiencing it. But these risks are even more apparent during the winter. Each month on average, SIFA Fireside supports approximately 500 unique individuals who are rough sleeping or in need of emergency support and carry out approximately 3,200 supportive actions for these individuals. And these figures are only likely to rise as we get closer to Christmas.
All of this happens in SIFA Fireside’s Digbeth Support Centre via the Homelessness Intervention Team, which together costs £1.5 million to operate. This space serves as the city’s central hub for adults without a place to call home, offering a range of responsive services, including health clinics, housing advice and financial planning, as well as hot meals, showers and clean clothing.
That’s why SIFA Fireside have once again partnered with One Black Bear, the city’s leading independent creative agency, to launch a compelling “Notes for Christmas” campaign to raise vital funds for those experiencing homelessness.
Commenting on the campaign, Robb Sheppard, Head of Fundraising and Communications at SIFA Fireside said: “Raising funds is of vital importance to us so that we can keep our Support Centre open and accessible to those that need it most, not just at Christmas, but throughout the whole year”.
Robb continued; “This is another thought-provoking pro-bono campaign from our friends at One Black Bear. With this twist on Christmas carols, the hope is that passers-by will stop and think, before making a donation to support our essential work with vulnerable people.”
Jon Harrison, Co-founder and Creative Partner at One Black Bear, added: “It’s great, as an agency, to once again be supporting the vital work SIFA Fireside does in our city. The team thoroughly enjoy flexing their creative muscles (as well as singing voices) on these campaigns and we hope our little gift of an idea can help raise much needed funds and awareness for them and their cause.”
Through the generous continued support of leading media company, Ocean Outdoor, top-quality OOH advertising space has been donated to spread this important message across the city, make the issue more visible and drive donations for SIFA Fireside.
To make a difference in the lives of people experiencing rough sleeping, the public is encouraged to support the campaign by visiting https://sifafireside.co.uk/christmas
Here, individuals can donate and play their part in addressing homelessness in Birmingham and ensure that support is available to all those who need it.
For all media enquiries, please contact:
Robb Sheppard || 0121 766 1700|| robbsheppard@sifafireside.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITOR
About SIFA Fireside:
Founded in the 1980s, SIFA Fireside was created by two charities coming together (The Fireside Charity and SIFA, then Supporting Independence From Alcohol) and focuses on supporting adults who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness through long-term, move-on support as well as meeting their immediate needs.
About One Black Bear:
One Black Bear is Birmingham’s leading independent creative agency with a proud history of supporting homelessness charities in the city. Founded in 2003, the IPA-member agency has a broad client list that includes household names and challenger brands.
