The holidays are coming, the holidays are coming! We at Foothold are looking forward to the Christmas season and a time of rest and recuperation after what has been a very different kind of year for our community and for us.

Christmas can be a time when people look forward to spending time with friends and family. A time to relax, have fun and maybe eat just a bit too much! It can be a magical time, especially for children. A time when we can spend time together at a more relaxed pace. However, we also know that this Christmas is very different from last year’s. Who could have known the challenges we would face as we celebrated the start of 2020?

With that in mind we understand that Christmas can also bring with it its own worries. Worries about money, about what will happen with work as we enter 2021, about our health, or the health of those around us. Some of our community are facing worries about the stability of their housing and some are facing or continue to face feelings of loneliness or anxiety.

So even when our team is away from their desks and e-mails, we want our community to know we are still there for them. We’ll be away from our desks from 24 December until 4 January 2021 but we want to make sure you feel as supported as you can. 

We’ve put together a December Support Hub full of helpful advice to help you have a calmer, happier December. From wellbeing experts and people in the know, we have guides on:

• Easing pressure on yourself
• Dealing with anxiety
• Reducing stress
• Coping with isolation

We also continue to offer our usual digital support via our website with:

• Tips on emotional and physical wellbeing
• Tips for carers
• Money advice (Download Foothold app on Google Play Store and Apple App Store)

On behalf of the Foothold team, I hope you have a lovely festive season and a good start to 2021!