Insight

Funeral Service Arranger, Priscilla Knight from Hounslow Funeral Services in Isleworth and Funeral Director for North West London, Lee Jones took up the challenge to provide Christmas gifts for the people who find themselves living on the streets of London.

Priscilla Knight and Lee Jones from Hounslow Funeral Services start Christmas Gift Bag Appeal for the homeless in London

Funeral Service Arranger, Priscilla Knight from Hounslow Funeral Services in Isleworth and Funeral Director for North West London, Lee Jones took up the challenge to provide Christmas gifts for the people who find themselves living on the streets of London.

Priscilla Knight was the key organiser of the project, making contact with West Thames College and Brentford School for Girls. Priscilla wanted to highlight the true meaning of Christmas to her four teenage daughters by showing how gratefully received everyday necessities are to those who have very little.

Priscilla and Lee both visited West Thames College to give a short presentation about their cause – this was not for a registered charity but something that members of staff decided to do to help others. The presentation was a success and received backing from both the college and school with pupils and parents donating items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, hand sanitizers, hats, scarves, gloves and socks as well as sweets and chocolate.

Local businesses were also targeted for donations throughout the Hounslow area as well as further afield Barnet and Finchley. Priscilla's three daughters, Darci, aged 13, Ellie, aged 11 and Faith aged 12, were given the task of making up the gift bags and making sure all the items were distributed equally.

On the 28^th December armed with blankets and coats, Priscilla, Lee and a team of 8 people organised 3 cars filled with gift bags. After heading into central London at 8pm, the team began the distribution at Oxford Street and then travelled down towards Tottenham Court Road to hand out extra blankets along with gift bags to those getting ready to bed down for the night. The next stop was Kings Cross and the night finished after 11pm once the remaining supplies had been handed out in Camden.

Everyone then returned home with a renewed sense of appreciation for what they had. Priscilla has been invited back to West Thames College and Brentford School to talk about her and Lee’s project and their experiences.

All items which were received but not suitable to give to those living on the street, i.e. tinned food were donated to Homeless Action in Barnet, an organisation which helps people living on the streets to find permanent accommodation and opens it doors daily with shower facilities, clothes washing facility and hot meals.

Priscilla Knight, Funeral Service Arranger

"My children learned so much from participating in this project, it is an experience which I feel privileged to share."

Tina Hill, Business Manager

"I am proud of not only Priscilla and Lee for the organisation and dedication to the project but to the staff and friends who came along to help deliver the gift bags and all staff within my area of Funeral homes whom managed to donate something.  Many of these people have not chosen to live on the streets and it is circumstances which have happened in their lives which have put them there – we can just as easily be walking in their shoes."