With 700,000 children currently living in poverty in London and that number set to grow rapidly through job losses and the economic shock caused by Covid-19, this Christmas won’t be a time of joy for so many children. While most families enjoy Christmas, eight in ten (79%) of children in poverty that we surveyed face going hungry over the Christmas period. A further 90,000 children will spend this Christmas living in temporary accommodation or are homeless.

Our Christmas Challenge 2020 will help to ensure that thousands of children and young people across London receive practical and emotional support this Christmas and througout 2021. Intensive support helps children to be resilient, hopeful and able to make the most of their educational opportunities. In this way we hope to mitigate the long-term damage caused by COVID-19 to London’s most vulnerable children.