HOMELESS charities are hoping the gift of giving lasts beyond Christmas as they face massive funding cuts.

Oxford Homeless Pathways and Aspire Oxford are fundraising as they brace themselves for proposed cuts of up to 65 per cent.

They are jointly running the Gift of Hope campaign, and have so far raised £10,000 of a £20,000 target.

And while it is a Christmas campaign, donations are being collected by staff until mid-January.

The money will be used to work with homeless people to get them off the streets and into safe housing.

Aspire chief operating officer Paul Roberts said: “The joint appeal supports homeless people in our city, not just to give them immediate shelter and hot food but to offer them longer term skills, training and employment support so they never have to be homeless again.

“A gift of just £10 could transform the festive period for homeless people in our city, not just for this year but for future years too.

“Whether you make a donation, organise a church collection or do a cake sale with friends, every penny will support our vital work with homeless people in Oxford.”

The campaign hosted a big street-wide collection on Tuesday, December 22, throughout Oxford including Cornmarket Street and Bonn Square.

Nearly £900 was raised and helped push the team closer to their target.

The money will go towards helping with both charities’ running costs. Last year Aspire spent £644,288 and Oxford Homeless Pathways spent £3,258,082.

There is currently a proposal for a cut of 65 per cent housing-related funds, taking it from £2.34 million to £834,000 between April 2017 and April 2019.

Aspire Oxford trainee Clare Ellis became homeless with her two sons after fleeing domestic abuse.

She said: “I felt so much failure as a parent, shame for our situation and fear for our future.

“But thanks to the support of charities like Aspire and Oxford Homeless Pathways, this year I am looking forward to the festive period in my own home.”

Kaye McDougall, a staff member at O’Hanlon House shelter in Luther Street, Kaye McDougall added: “With proposed funding cuts coming up, charities are trying to more for themselves.

“In winter it gets harder and harder. With more homeless people on the streets it is getting more pressured to find them accommodation.”

“Some people find the festive period hard because it can highlight the lack of positive relationships some people have with families, so we hoped to encourage them to get involved.

The campaign has had lots of support from the public and local businesses, with anonymous donations reaching up to £2,500.

p To make a donation to the Gift of Hope campaign contact 01865 204450 or see, campaign.justgiving.com/charity/aspireoxfordshire/giftofhope