Portsmouth's Comfort and Joy campaign reaches its fundraising target of £20,000 to help city's needy this Christmas

The campaign, which was established 20 years ago, is a festive appeal to raise money for a number of charities across the city to show some goodwill and kindness during the Christmas period.

The campaign asks people to donate a £5 gift card, a Christmas card with a greeting inside or a monetary donation, which is then collected and distributed across the charities concerned.

This act of kindness gives people, who are going through some of the hardest times they will face, with the opportunity to buy themselves something this Christmas or buy someone else a gift.

The charities involved in the campaign range from Stop Domestic Abuse to Roberts Centre to Friends Without Borders, all of whom have expressed gratitude towards the organisers and those who have donated.

On December 16, charity representatives gathered at St Mary’s Church to sing Christmas carols and find out the grand total of this year’s month long campaign.

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The target for this year was to raise £20,000 in gift cards and donations in order to take them up to an overall total of £200,000 raised in the 20 years that it has been running – and they have done it.

The Reverend Canon Bob White of St Mary’s Church, Fratton, announced that they will hit their goal this year.

He said: ‘Thank you to all of you who work in this sector. You’re an amazing group of people and you are rarely noticed for your work, so thank you.

‘This Christmas story is not something that is stuck on a Christmas card, it is a reality for the people and their family that live it.

‘Think about those people you will be supporting who are often have nothing. It is never too late.’

As the campaign came to a close, the charity representatives were invited to sing Christmas carols to get in the festive spirit, and they were also offered mince pies and refreshments.

Mel Goddard, from the Roberts Centre, said: ‘With vouchers we shouldn’t underestimate the difference they make. I was thinking about gifting and I am one of those people that like a surprise, and it is because I am very privileged and fortunate to be able to buy the things I need when I need but for others that is not always the case and these vouchers give them that choice.’

In attendance was also the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Hugh Mason and the Lady Mayoress of Portsmouth, Marie Costa, who have both been supportive of the campaign this year.

Cllr Mason said: ‘One word that struck me the most is ‘choice’. When you are poor, when you are a refugee, when you are homeless, you have no choice. You have nothing, you have no dignity and no choice. These vouchers which you are giving out, gives choice to people. They can do things.

‘It is so important and that is why I want to say thank you to all of the organisations that are here and to all of the people for what they have done.’