In the Company of Huskies has launched a new Christmas campaign for St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) charity highlighting the harsh reality of poverty at this time of year. For most, Christmas is a wonderful time of year, but for those struggling it can be the most worrying. But for some families their Christmas tradition will be sleeping hungry in a freezing house.
‘Some things shouldn’t be a family tradition’ campaign drives home the differences by distorting Christmas sayings and idioms such as ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year’ and ‘Dreaming of a white Christmas” to remind people that there is another side too. Out of 150,000 calls made to SVP each year, one in three are from people in need of food.
The annual appeal includes an image of an almost empty cupboard on Dublin’s Liberty Hall.
At the launch, RTE presenter Ryan Tubridy praised the campaign, saying the ads dwell on the possibility and the positivity that the donation will make to a life. They are saying that if a donation comes in the door the school books are paid for, the house is heated, the belly is full, the child retains his or her dignity and hopefully things gets better.
The SVP Annual Appeal 2019 will be promoted up to Christmas week across TV, radio, press, on social media and out of home. The charity is asking the public to support its work in any way they can over the festive season, by visiting www.svp.ie/appeal.
