We light candles and sing Christmas carols

CHRISTMAS greetings to our wonderful The People’s Friend” family! can hardly believe am writing you a Christmas update letter. Time seems to fly by, doesn’t it?

| hope that the past year has been kind to you and those you love.

The year 2022 was the year was finally reunited with my African family following all the travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19.

It has been truly wonderful to be able to spend time with them again and to catch up on the missing months and years.

As in the UK, the cost-ofliving crisis is making life for our friends living in the informal settlements and townships of South Africa very difficult indeed.

Life before the pandemic was hard, but things are now considerably tougher.

Families are struggling to feed and clothe their children, and we are continuing to provide those vital grocery packs that we began distributing during lockdown.

These packs cost 20 and feed a family of four for one month.

We continue to support our child-headed homes, too these are the older siblings who care for their younger siblings if their parents have passed away or they have been abandoned.

We would love to include some treats during this festive season, too, like small packets of biscuits.

Your support would be truly appreciated, but please don’t feel pressured to help us as fully understand that many of you are struggling, too.

The other big concern that families face is around school uniforms and stationery.