# £500,000 donation made to BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/12/19/500000-donation-to-bbc-radio-4-christmas-appeal/
- Published: 2022-12-19T09:14:39+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Julia and Hans Rausing have donated £500,000 to St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity
to support people facing homelessness across the UK. It was given in response to
the BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal, whose theme this year is ‘Everything Starts with
Home’.**

This is the largest one-off donation to the charity in the 96-year history of the
BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal. The money will support people experiencing homelessness
across the UK, mainly through the charity’s Vicar’s Relief Fund (VRF).

## Vicar’s Relief Fund

The VRF provides emergency financial support so that people in vulnerable situations
can find – and keep – a safe place to live. Designed to prevent someone from losing
their home or to help them find a new one, these quick and urgent grants can transform
someone’s situation.
VRF grants are issued quickly and efficiently, within a matter
of days.

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## The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust

The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust aims to foster a healthy society that gives care
to those in need, provides opportunity for all, and offers inspiring cultural engagement.
it has provided over 1,000 grants totalling more than £330 million, supporting organisations
working within three main areas:

 * Health and wellbeing
 * Welfare and education
 * Arts and culture.

Julia and Hans Rausing said: “Thousands of people are facing homelessness this winter
with rising energy and food bills leaving many people with impossible decisions 
to make. St Martin-in-the-Fields provides support to both prevent homelessness in
the UK and to find accommodation for those in need. We are pleased to support this
worthy charity once more.”

## BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal

In the last two years, the [BBC Radio 4 Appeal](http://bbc.co.uk/christmasappeal)
has raised over £9 million. The money donated by listeners provides, across the 
UK:

 * quick and urgent access to funds
 * support to those working on the frontline
 * investment in strategic programmes to tackle homelessness
 * practical help to people rough sleeping in central London.

Tim Bissett, Director of [St Martin’s Charity](http://smitfc.org), thanked Julia
and Hans Rausing for their generosity. He said:

“At a time when we are all deeply concerned about the cost-of-living crisis, these
grants could be a real lifeline. We know that, with the help of our Vicar’s Relief
Fund, many lives have been turned around: evictions prevented and new homes secured.
It gives me real hope to think how far this generous sum will go”.

 * **[Rausings launch £3.5 million fund to support food banks](https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/11/17/rausings-launch-3-5mn-fund-to-support-food-banks/)(
   17 November 2022)
 * **[BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal chooses Donorfy as CRM](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/12/08/90th-bbc-radio-4-christmas-appeal-chooses-donorfy-crm/)(
   8 December 2016)
 * **[Hugh Dennis fronts BBC Radio 4 annual Christmas appeal to help homeless people](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/12/07/bbc-radio-4-launches-annual-christmas-appeal-help-homeless/)(
   7 December 2017)**