Eleven Years of Christmas for the Community – Buxton’s Community Helping Community

For the Community is preparing for its 11th Christmas supporting people across Buxton and the surrounding area, continuing a project that began with one simple idea: nobody should have to face Christmas without food, company or community.

Over the past eleven years, the community-led project estimates that it has helped around 5,000 people. Each Christmas, volunteers provide free Christmas dinner hampers for local families and open the doors on Christmas Day to offer a free sit-down meal and company for people who may otherwise be struggling or spending the day alone.

The hampers are not small food parcels. They are put together to give families what they need for a proper Christmas dinner, including meat, fresh vegetables, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce and other trimmings, alongside festive extras where donations allow.

For the past two years, the project has also run a December pop-up shop, offering affordable gifts, clothing and other items to help reduce some of the financial pressure Christmas can bring. Money raised through the pop-up has then been put back into the Christmas hampers and Christmas Day meals.

This year, however, the project faces one of its most difficult Christmases.

Funding is significantly lower and the team may not have access to the space it has used in previous years. Without a suitable venue, the pop-up shop may not be able to run, removing an important source of funding as well as leaving the team needing somewhere to organise and pack the Christmas hampers.

The team is therefore appealing to local businesses, organisations and members of the community for support. Help could include financial sponsorship or donations, food and Christmas supplies, a suitable venue, volunteering, or simply sharing the appeal so it reaches somebody who may be able to help.

Ruth, from For the Community, said:

“This started because I knew there were people who would be alone on Christmas Day, and I couldn’t bear the thought of people having nowhere to go. It has grown year after year because our community keeps showing up for one another.

“Eleven years later, Christmas for the Community means so much to us. The hampers are about giving families the chance to sit down and have a proper Christmas dinner at home, while our Christmas Day meal is about far more than food – it is about making sure there is a door open and people around you.

“We have always said this is community, not charity. It is neighbours, businesses and local people all giving what they can to make Christmas a little easier for somebody else. We really want to make year 11 happen, but this year we need our community behind us more than ever.”

How To Help:

Donate to the Christmas appeal:

https://gofund.me/9aa19849f

• Businesses can support through sponsorship, financial donations or donations of goods and supplies.

• The project is also seeking a suitable local venue for hamper packing and, if possible, the December pop-up shop.

• Community members can volunteer, donate items or share the appeal.

For the Community is a Buxton community initiative.

Christmas 2026 will mark its 11th year of providing support at Christmas.

The project estimates that around 5,000 people have been helped over its eleven years.