For many, Christmas signifies joy and laughter, wrapping up warm, and being surrounded by family and friends.

However, away from the tinsel and twinkly lights, people can experience a darkness that mirrors the shorter daylight hours outside their windows.

Feelings of loneliness and social isolation rise at this time of year, with almost a third of UK adults, mostly those of an older age, having no-one to spend Christmas with.

Mental health can be in decline, with feelings of anxiety and depression in stark contrast to the festive fun that is publicly portrayed.

At Christmas-time, rural community businesses can literally be a lifesaver for people who struggle in this season. They offer initiatives such as warm spaces and special Christmas events, and go the extra mile in delivering Christmas provisions to those most in need.

Put simply, a warm welcome awaits at a rural community business this Christmas.

Plunkett works all year round in collaboration with such communities to grow their reach and impact – but there is more we can do, with your support. Through our package of specialist business advice, training, webinars and toolkits, we can help communities to create innovative, impactful and inclusive spaces that benefit everyone.

With your help this Christmas, together we can support rural communities across the UK to come together to ensure no-one is isolated or alone. Please give what you can.

Some fundraising ideas

  • Christmas quiz – having a Christmas party? Challenge colleagues to a quiz, for a donation teams can test their knowledge, and donate to charity.

  • Christmas cake sale – celebrate the festive season with a delicious bake sale and donate the proceeds to Plunkett.

  • Christmas jumper day – spread Christmas cheer by hosting a Christmas jumper day. Each staff member donates £2 to Plunkett to wear their favourite festive attire.

  • Festive raffle – organise a Christmas themed raffle, including your own wonderful produce. Perhaps the grand prize could be a basket of Christmas day goodies or an extra day’s paid-leave.

  • Donation day – Make Saturday 18th December donation day, give a percentage sales to Plunkett and have our donation tins on the tills.

  • In charge of the Christmas presents this year? Or know someone who is? Use our Easy Fundraising link for a super easy way to donate to Plunkett. Sign up and the retailers you use will donate to us every time you shop – at no extra cost to you. Send the link to others to spread the cheer!

The difference your donation can make

£100 could help fund our dedicated helpline which offers a friendly helpful ear to all communities no matter what stage of their community ownership journey

£200 could help pay for an expert adviser to provide bespoke ‘troubleshooting’ support to a community business for a day

£500 could help pay for an online training webinar that builds the skills and confidence of community business volunteers and staff on matters relating to running a community-owned business

£1,000 could help fund the support needed to get a new community business open and trading

Read examples about the impact community businesses have at Christmas

Bledington Shop (Gloucestershire)

The shop sells beautiful fresh flower bouquets and at Christmas, magnificent wreaths supplied by a local florists. They also have a range of additional handmade items to sell. They take orders if required to save customers having to make an unnecessary trip from the village. They work closely with key local suppliers to put together a Christmas ordering service including turkeys, festive meat products, cooked hams, local cheeses and festive fruit and vegetables.

Dobcross Village Store (Greater Manchester)

The shop works in partnership with a local coffee company to provide bean-to-cup coffee in store. Table and chairs have encouraged people to stop and chat, and elderly customers have appreciated the companionship this gives them. The book exchange, community noticeboards and updates on village life help to foster a real community spirit.

Cwmdu Inn (Carmarthenshire)

The pub holds traditional Christmas events for the whole community. They meet around the outdoor village Christmas tree for our carol singing night followed by mince pies and mulled wine in front of the large open fire. The volunteer cooks collaborate to put on the village Christmas dinner for the local community in the run-up to Christmas. The pub is also opened by volunteers on Christmas Day so that friends and neighbours are able to celebrate together.

Invermoriston Community Shop (Highlands)

From a population of just 100 houses, this shop serves the community by ‘keeping the lights on’ in their small highland village where everything else closes for the winter months, and transport opportunities are limited. Volunteers also run a ‘Community Tuesday’ activity which runs every week between 11am to 7pm and offers a warm space for food and chat in the village. It is accessible to more people, and, as a result, elderly people mix with younger people and families when they come in for supper.

East Boldre Community Stores (Hampshire)

Teenager Archie Kitcher was one of the first volunteers to sign up to help in the shop once it opened, making sandwiches and shelf stocking on a regular basis. In 2024, he organised and publicised East Boldre’s first-ever Christmas show last year. Over 50 entrants participated in this very popular event, baking mince pies and Christmas cakes, knitting hats and making wreaths amongst other things. They raised over £1,000 to benefit their local hospice.

Titchmarsh Village Shop (Northamptonshire)

The shop organises a Victorian-themed Christmas Fayre, where villagers enthusiastically joined in, many dressing in period costume, bringing the community together in a joyful celebration. The shop proactively supports residents who may struggle to visit the shop physically by providing an informal phone-order and home-delivery service ensuring no-one is left without the essential supplies at Christmas.