We all love a giveaway and a bargain, but sometimes it’s good to step away from material ‘stuff’ and concentrate on what really counts at Christmas: friends, family, and those who need support. Simply giving an hour of your time to someone in need can really make or break their Christmas; but there are those who go above and beyond.
Meet local hero, Susan Brett. She runs The Brett Foundation in Maidenhead – pretty much single-handedly – and spends almost every waking hour cooking, counselling, and providing clothing and support to homeless and disadvantaged people in the area. Yep, Santa has nothing on her.A charity that began at home
Sue started the Brett Foundation in 2011, and it all began when she started offering food supplies to the homeless from the boot of her car. Fast forward to 2019, and she now supports disadvantaged people in the area with a centre that supplies free breakfast, lunch, dinner and a warm place to chat for up to 40 people a day. And she does it all – in collaboration with Social Services and other local organisations – with the help of just 20 amazing volunteers.
With our 12 days of giving campaign we knew we needed to show up and show out, and what better way than with local superwoman, Sue. We went down to the drop-in centre to move and sort piles of donated clothing; we cleaned out some fridges; and we made a short video about all the amazing stuff The Brett Foundation is doing. Our Christmas elf at Three HQ
Every year, our amazing Catering Manager, Dawn works closely with Sue to spread festive cheer throughout Star House and get us in the mood for giving. It starts with the big tree in the staff cafe, with hundreds of tags with gift requests from local children. The requests are totally humbling: from socks and a new coat, to vouchers, smellies and toys. In some instances, this gift will be a child’s only gift, which is why Dawn pulls out all the stops to make sure the staff at Three pick off a tag or 2, buy a gift, and show support for local families. Last year we had over 700 pressies, including an exciting iPad donation and an electric guitar – this year we’re on track to go even bigger.
You can find out more about Sue and The Brett Foundation and hear from our amazing Dawn in this short video. And if you’d like to find out more about all the work Sue does, check out www.thebrettfoundation.org.uk