The Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal 2023: Who we are supporting and how you can donate
As Christmas approaches, few of us will regret saying goodbye to 2023. Crippling food prices, utility bills and mortgage rates have all added up to a tough year for many – and for the UK’s charities, it’s been one of unprecedented challenges. While running costs have rocketed, their life-changing services have been needed more than ever. So, as the year draws to a close, we are asking you – our incredibly generous and caring readers – to help our four chosen charities in the Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal 2023.
Running for more than 100 years, our appeal has raised close to ￡30 million for charities. Last year’s grand total of ￡726,000 was the second highest figure in a decade – incredible in a year when the cost of living crisis had bitten hard. Yet you still donated generously, enabling Age UK to provide even more aid, friendship and advice for older people. In supporting Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI), you helped the UK’s leading military charity to provide meaningful employment, welfare and accommodation for veterans and their families. Your donations also helped Action for Children to care for vulnerable children across the UK, and enabled Macmillan Cancer Support to offer even more support to people who have been diagnosed with cancer, as well as their carers and families.
This year, we are proud to support Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end of life charity. Providing expert care in patients’ homes and at their nine UK hospices, Marie Curie is there for anyone with an illness they are likely to die from. “Currently, every five minutes, someone dies in the UK without the care and support they need,” says Matthew Reed, Marie Curie chief executive. “That’s an estimated 150,000 people every year and, due to our ageing population, it’s getting worse.”
By 2048, demand for palliative and end of life care will have increased by up to 25 per cent. “Marie Curie is 75 this year alongside the NHS and we’re delighted to be included in the Christmas Appeal,” continues Reed. “The money and awareness raised is vital in helping us to increase the number of people receiving expert end of life care through our services, and deliver a better end of life for all.”
The RAF Benevolent Fund is committed to supporting RAF personnel, veterans and their families. It provides everything from grants for essential living, plus help with unexpected expenses, as well as listening and counselling services, and assistance to address specific needs, such as mobility aids and home adaptations. The past few years have seen a surge in demand for essential assistance, and your donations will make an enormous difference. “We are delighted to be part of The Telegraph’s Christmas Charity Appeal,” says Air Vice-Marshal Chris Elliot, controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund. “We hope that Telegraph readers will have the opportunity to learn more about what we do to help change the lives of many RAF personnel, their families and veterans who need support.”
Race Against Dementia was created by three-time Formula 1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart after his wife, Helen, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Installing the Formula 1 mindset of pace, precision and lateral thinking, the charity funds some of the world’s most promising early-career scientists and research teams in the field of dementia research. “Remarkable strides have been made in cancer detection, prevention and treatment over the past 50 years, while dementia research has trailed behind,” says Race Against Dementia CEO Bridget Barker. “Today, for every four cancer researchers, there is just one dementia research scientist.” Yet out of every three people born today, one will die of dementia – unless treatments are developed and a cure found.
“Urgency is paramount,” Barker adds. “Dementia shatters families and looms large as a formidable – and fast growing – challenge for the NHS and society. Race Against Dementia is here to accelerate progress. With the funding we attract, we back the world’s most promising early-career scientists and research teams in the field.”
Meanwhile, Go Beyond gives breaks in the British countryside to children who live in seriously challenging circumstances such as domestic violence, bereavement, poverty and neglect. Over the past 30 years, 19,000 vulnerable children have enjoyed the kind of experience that can change a life forever. However, as it costs ￡1,108 to send a child, donations are urgently needed. “It hasn’t just been tough for families,” says Michele Farmer, CEO of Go Beyond. “Our costs have shot up – and food is a good example. The children have been hungrier and have eaten more. This year we expect to spend ￡30,000 on food alone; 14 per cent more than last year.
“On top of that, energy prices are a big concern again, as they were last year,” she continues. “We’re expecting our heating bill for two old farmhouses to be close to ￡40,000. Our small team has to raise more than ￡1.5 million every year so we can offer these breaks at no charge to the children and their families. Life is tough for some children, but we can use your generous donations to bring a bit of sunshine and help create memories that will live on forever.”
Together with you, our readers, we are proud to support our four charity partners in continuing their incredible work into 2024 and beyond. Meet our chosen charities...
Marie Curie
Currently, one in four people don’t get the care and support they need at the end of life – and the problem is growing fast. “We only die once,” says the charity’s chief executive Matthew Reed, “and currently the last chapter of life is not got right for many people. That’s why Marie Curie is urgently leading the way to reach the growing number of people at the end of life – no matter the illness – who need care and support right now and in the future.”
Lisa Brassington, 54, from Baildon, West Yorkshire, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2011. Following numerous courses of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, there are no more treatment options and in October 2023, Lisa began being cared for by the Marie Curie hospice in Bradford. Here, the dedicated team has managed her symptoms, delivered a holistic package of care and gone the extra mile to enhance her quality of life for the time she has left. In Lisa’s words: “It’s such a lonely illness. I’d been trapped in my bedroom at home since February, where I felt so unsafe and frightened. At first I was scared of the thought of coming to a hospice, but I’ve been overwhelmed by the treatment. The tumour has started to spread to my temporal lobe. I’m now paralysed down one side of my body, but the Marie Curie physiotherapist, Josh, has been working with me. I managed to take four steps recently. Josh was full of praise and encouragement – it really felt like an achievement.”
Marie Curie employs more palliative nurses and professionals, and funds more palliative care research, than any other UK charity. Now it is determined to grow the number of people it cares for directly each year from 44,200 to 100,000 – and your donations can help. “The hospice team do everything they can to make a difficult situation the best it can be,” Brassington continues. “I had to give up my dog, Ralph, in February, which broke my heart. Recently, they arranged for a dog called Pippa to visit us at the hospice, which was lovely. Before coming here I hadn’t eaten in a long time and I had no energy, but the chefs make delicious food and the nurses encourage us to eat. I don’t think I’d be alive now if it wasn’t for the care I’ve had. I feel so safe, cared for here, and even loved.”
The RAF Benevolent Fund
As the Royal Air Force’s leading welfare charity, the organisation has a rich history dating back to 1919 when it was first established. Since then, it has been a lifeline for many within the RAF community – such as parachute instructor Corporal Rob Bugden, now 38. In January 2016 he was involved in a parachute accident while on exercise in California.
After jumping, Bugden remembers looking at his colleagues before he pulled his parachute cord and gave the “thumbs up”. The next thing he recalls is waking up in a hospital in California. He had broken several vertebrae in his neck and severely damaged his spinal cord. From the outset the Fund was there for him, initially giving his parents an “immediate needs” grant towards their costs of visiting him in hospital in California. After Bugden returned to the UK, and began his rehabilitation at Headley Court, the Fund helped towards a respite break, to give him some time away from hospital. It also paid for the hire of the specialist medical equipment he needed to be comfortable during his break.
“While I was serving I knew the Fund was there and I supported it,” Bugden says, “but I didn’t know the extent of everything it could do until I needed it. Trying to put what the Fund does for the RAF into words is really difficult. Without it, I would not be able to live independently.”
Bugden’s life-changing and career-ending injuries meant that the flat he had bought was no longer suited to his complex needs as a tetraplegic. So the Fund began the search for a property in Wales, where Bugden has a close network of friends and wanted to live, and found a suitable bungalow for him, which they purchased at ￡425,000. An additional ￡225,000 was spent to make it his home for life, and Rob moved into his new property in summer 2019.
“Everything in my new house was tailored to exactly what I wanted,” Bugden says. “I have ended up with an amazing house that’s going to be home for a very long time. Without the Fund, there is no way I would have been able to get everything I needed to live comfortably.”
Meanwhile, the charity’s community engagement workers are on hand to support veterans to re-engage in meaningful, regular social activities, while telephone friendship groups also help to reduce loneliness among veterans, particularly during the festive season. The Fund offered wellbeing support for more than 13,800 RAF family members in 2022. Your donations will help to continue that invaluable work.
Race Against Dementia
Historically, dementia has been shrouded in stigma. “However, in recent times, notable figures like Bruce Willis, Fiona Phillips and Alastair Stewart have courageously shared their dementia diagnoses,” says Race Against Dementia CEO Bridget Barker. “Their openness raises awareness and breaks the taboo. Dementia cannot be ignored.”
In 2023, two Alzheimer’s drugs gained approval in the US, marking a significant shift in gear. “What was once an apparently insurmountable challenge, dementia research now has fresh optimism,” Barker adds. “However, this year has also witnessed escalating research costs. Rigorous, in-depth investigations conducted by exceptionally skilled experts demand substantial funding and time. Race Against Dementia’s network of backers and donors is a beacon of hope. Together, we will beat dementia.”
Dr Emily Lane-Hill was awarded a Race Against Dementia Fellowship in 2021, following completion of her PhD in Neuroscience. She received ￡500,000 to cover five years of funding for her research programme, based at the University of Warwick. Here, she is investigating a key protein in the brain called tau. In neurological disease, tau molecules can misfold, and clump together, forming aggregates, which in turn can disrupt neuronal function.
“Dementia will touch the lives of almost everybody,” Lane-Hill says. “My father has battled Parkinson’s disease for more than 15 years – I’ve witnessed the devastating effects that these complex disorders have on patients and their families. My father’s diagnosis has been my driving force to contribute to this vital research. To beat this disease we need early and accurate diagnosis for patients and targeted disease-modifying treatments to improve and maintain quality of their life.”
Race Against Dementia supports Lane-Hill in implementing the Formula 1 mindset in her research, as well as providing training in leadership and communication, and mentoring from industry. “This gives me the confidence and freedom to try high risk, high reward ideas and will accelerate progress,” she adds. “I’m proud to be a Race Against Dementia research fellow, and I am optimistic about a future where no one lives in fear of dementia.”
Go Beyond
This small charity makes an enormous difference to children in the UK who desperately need a break. They are children who care for their ill parents, who worry about where their next meal will come from and who hide in their bedroom, afraid to come out. In short, children who don’t really have a childhood. “Without our supporters, these children would never get the chance to explore the great outdoors, to go on adventures, go orienteering or canoeing, or toast marshmallows by the fireside with new friends,” explains CEO Michele Farmer. “Go Beyond puts magic into their lives through simple, traditional holidays with no screens and lots of time spent outdoors. For one week, they pack their troubles away and discover a life that’s full of fun, laughter and imagination.”
Running all year round, the residential breaks are based in farmhouses in Cornwall and the Peak District – and offered at no cost to the family. So far this year 800 children have been on Go Beyond breaks. In 2023, 68 per cent of these children – that’s more than ever – were referred to the charity by their teachers, social workers and support workers due to low mood, anxiety and loneliness. Almost a quarter of the children live in a home where there is domestic violence and many have been abused. Of the children who have been helped by the charity this year, 114 have recently been bereaved and 21 have a parent in prison. This is why life is tough.
Naomi was referred on a Go Beyond break to give her some time away from the pressures of home life. Although she had always enjoyed going on holiday with her mum and dad, her brother Sam, who was autistic, started to show signs of challenging behaviour. Those cherished family holidays stopped, home life was difficult, and Naomi felt isolated and ignored as her brother’s behaviour meant that attention was focused on him. “I made so many amazing memories,” she says of her first Go Beyond break. “I remember zooming down the slide and riding horses, singing karaoke and dancing. The break made me feel happy, relaxed and gave me hope for my future.”
Naomi’s experience with Go Beyond inspired her to pursue a career in health and social care and she now works helping other children with difficult lives. “It changed my whole perspective,” she continues. “I decided to volunteer and help on a Go Beyond break. To take children away from their difficult lives means so much to them. I see them help and encourage each other, develop new skills and make some amazing friendships. Children need the chance to be young, doing things that children do, even if that is being silly. Your donations to our 2023 Appeal will help to not only enrich but change the lives of children who need it most.”