In run-up to Christmas, Father Charlie, businesses and volunteers pull together for those in need

In the run-up to Christmas, Father Charlie Azopardi, local businesses and volunteer helpers are already busy preparing to make the festive season a little brighter for people who are struggling to make ends meet.

Christmas hampers full of necessities will be distributed to up to 450 families and individuals on the Rock, with Father Charlie stating that the extensive organisational efforts to prepare each package are already in motion.

The hampers will be handed out on Wednesday December 20, but prior to then Father Charlie and his volunteer helpers are busy with the logistics and sorting of items.

A team of students from Bayside School is playing a key role and, thanks to Bassadone Motors, will have the use of a storeroom on Devil’s Tower Road to help. A team of helpers from NatWest bank will also take part.

The soup kitchen volunteers will also prepare hot food and be open on Christmas Day and users will be given two meals, one for Boxing Day too.

Reflecting on the overwhelming support he has received, Father Charlie expressed gratitude to several entities within the community.

"Thanks definitely to Gib Maroc, definitely to Restsso and Fastafood, to Morrisons and Eroski and Coviran,” he said.

“Stagnetto also deserve a mention, because they are always there helping us. Making sure, for example, that if there is a box of water [bottles] open, they say send it to Fr Charlie.”

“And most importantly they are helping us with the transport because we need to go and collect things. They are absolute gents, they really are.”

“Saccone and Speed is very supportive as well.”

“This is why I sometimes never like to mention names because there are a lot of benefactors, we have Vicky’s Kitchen as well, she helps us with a meal every week.”

“We have the other groups as well, so it is a big thank you to Gibraltar, because it would be impossible without them.”

The companies are helping families and individuals of all ages, both male and female.

“When we say all ages, we've got families and most of those families are single mothers,” said Father Charlie.

“Then we have elderly people. And then we've got the other spectrum in between, people who are not working, people who have issues with mental health. And, when I say mental health, I use it in the broad sense of people with addictions and things like that. That is also one which we do our best to help with and it is not always easy to see.”

He noted that it was very gratifying to help others but at the same time “it breaks your heart that you do have to this”.

He noted that the Rock is like many other places in the world where poverty exists side-by-side with affluence.

Just because there are many wealthy people living here, he said, it does not mean everyone has the means to live.

He mentioned that some people he helps are receiving the state pension, which is “not a generous one” and does not necessarily reflect personal circumstances because of a reluctance to apply a means test.

“For example, you have a situation where someone is living in private accommodation and is paying something like £800 rent, the cheapest,” he said.
“Then you've got someone who is in government accommodation, paying £400 and then having rent relief, but they still get the same state pension.”

“I mean, one can't even pay the rent and the other can.”

“Someone who has a state pension plus their own work pension, those people are pretty well off.”

Father Charlie does not fundraise directly but is grateful for others who donate to the work he oversees, including the Governor, who this year donated some of the proceeds from the Christmas Fair to the soup kitchen.

“We live in providence and I think we follow the example of Mother Teresa,” he said.

“It was interesting how at one stage people wanted to help, but they had lost the idea that it was God's mission, not our mission. Sometimes when we make it our mission, we spoil it.”

“So yes, we are very blessed. There's always donations that come and we are very blessed.”

However, he wants the community to be aware that if there are office parties, especially at this time of the year, and the food is not all eaten, he would be happy to arrange collection of it so that it is not wasted.

Should the community wish to donate items to Father Charlie’s soup kitchen this Christmas, the best option is non-perishable items and new toys for children.