The Joy ofGiving 2025
Fed up with the hedonism and self-indulgence of the festive season? Read our round-up of
local campaigns, clean-ups and crowd funders, and choose how you can give something back to
the community.
‘The Shining’: Bottle Alley’s Annual Glass Cleaning Day
Zeroh is organising its annual festive gathering dedicated to caring for Hastings’ iconic seafront landmark, Bottle Alley. Held each year on the winter solstice, the event brings together volunteers, friends and supporters to gently polish the famous coloured glass of the alley.
The event marks the moment when the lowest winter sun sets across the sea and illuminates the remarkable glass installation designed by Hastings Borough Engineer Sidney Little over 90 years ago. The result is a stunning natural light show enjoyed by generations of Hastings residents and visitors.
On Sunday 21 December, from 2pm until sunset, volunteers will meet at the pier end of Bottle Alley to clean and polish the glass using soft cloths and light detergent. All equipment – including gloves, cloths, and plenty of good cheer – will be provided.
The Shining is also an opportunity to learn more about Bottle Alley, support its upkeep, or become part of the volunteer team that helps protect this much-loved structure.
Sign up as a volunteer at bottlealley.org/wavelength
Hastings Palestine Solidarity Campaign Art Raffle
HPSC presents a collection of original works by artists from Palestine, the UK and from across the world to raise urgently needed funds for Gaza.
If you’re reading this on 18 or 19 December, there’s still time to view the artworks at a free exhibition at The White Rock Hotel, Hastings: 11am-3pm & 5pm-7pm. The raffle draw will be on 20 December. Raffle tickets start at £5 a ticket but the more you buy the more chance of winning!
Proceeds will go directly to the Resilience Committee in Al-Mawasi helping to provide food for displaced families, educational resources for children, materials for makeshift housing and a community bakery.
hastingspalestinecampaign.org/strokes-of… #strokesofsolidarity
St Michael’s Hospice Christmas Tree Recycling
Did you know, a recycled Christmas tree emits around 12.5kg less C02 emissions than a non-recycled tree? St Michael’s Hospice is on a mission to cut emissions by recycling Christmas trees. They have teamed up with Just Helping and, for a small donation, will collect and recycle your tree.
Register your tree on the Just Helping website by 5 January to secure your tree collection slot.Collections will be on the 8 and
9 January for any tree in the postcodes: TN34 and TN37-40 just-helping.org.uk/
Community Pub Crowdfunder
After over three years running as a not-for-profit brewery and raising thousands of pounds for local charities and projects, The Hastings Project is planning to take on The Prince of Wales Pub in St Leonards. Ed Nash and Robbie Ormrod want to transform the empty pub into a community pub – run for the benefit of local people, not private profit.
The aim of the fundraiser is to: renovate and refresh the pub, cover essential start-up costs to get the doors open again and create jobs and training opportunities for local people. They’re also offering 1.5 x the amount people donate in credit to spend behind the bar. Meaning, if you donate £50.00 then you’ll get £75.00 to spend on THP beers.
They are hoping to open the pub in February; Meanwhile, they’re happy for supporters to pop in and ask questions, although the beer itself hasn’t arrived yet…
crowdfunder.co.uk/p/thp-at-princeofwales
Help Save Hatton’s Yard
Hatton’s Yard are reaching out to the local community for support to save their beloved cultural arts space.
Hatton’s yard is a resource that has held space for so much community development, reimagining and wellbeing including trauma prevention work and mental health support services. The loss of this space will have a profound impact on the beneficiaries, the surrounding area, and the local community/economy.
They say: “We hate to ask for assistance in this way, but systemic discrimination and exclusion is too much now for us to stay silent. In a town with no dedicated cultural centre, our safe space for cultural and community development, classes and events, is under threat of closure. We don’t want it to be a stat in the increasing loss of Black-led community and cultural spaces across the UK.”
crowdfunder.co.uk/p/hattonsyard
Secret Santa for Struggling Veterans’ Families
Hastings-based Daniel McDonald has Parkinson’s and mobility issues, but this hasn’t stopped him getting involved with a homeless veterans’ charity and hosting a show on TNR Radio.
He is currently coordinating an appeal to send £100 Tesco vouchers to veterans with families this Christmas. He says the aim is to ensure struggling veterans’ families to “have a happier Christmas,” with supporters acting as the Secret Santa behind each gift.
So far, Daniel has raised over £1,000, but more Secret Santas are always needed!
gofundme.com/f/us-provide-veterans-with-families-a-tesco-voucher-for-xmas
Help Shahd Help the Children of Gaza
Tomris Atabey and Jaen Loftin are appealing for help with their crowdfunder to help Shahd, an English teacher who is providing the children of Al-Mawazi with food and clothing. They met Shahd eight months ago through Hastings and District Palestine Solidarity Campaign (HDPSC).
She has been displaced from her home, but continues to teach children in the tent school of Al-Mawasi. When she is not teaching, Shahd visits children and families in need, many of whom have lost their family members. Through HDPSC donations, Shahd has been able to provide food and clothing to meet some of the children’s needs. However, this is becoming increasingly difficult and this is why we ask you, to help us, to help Shahd.”
gofundme.com/f/help-shahd-help-the-children-of-al-mawasi-gaza
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