SWITCH
SWITCH is the latest initiative to support CHESS and help unlock the future for single homeless adults.
Everyone’s story for becoming homeless is different. It can happen for a variety of reasons, including mental health issues, substance abuse, domestic violence, family breakdown, unemployment and spiralling debt. It’s is a real, ongoing issue that can have devastating effects on all areas of society.
Here at CHESS Homeless, our aim is to relieve homelessness and these related hardships amongst homeless single adults in Essex.
We are all hearing nowadays about the importance of talking to one another and how staying connected can really support those that are going through a tough time, often when we don’t realise it. A SWITCH event, however big or small is a way to do that, have fun and raise money for a worthwhile community cause in the process.
Host a 'Platters that Matter' evening
Why not ‘SWITCH’ an event from just a social get together into a ‘PLATTERS THAT MATTER’ event and support the work of CHESS Homeless. You’ll be helping us raise vital funds needed to provide support services and temporary accommodation that helps people who are affected by homelessness, regain their independence and move on with their lives.
Make the most of gathering friends or family and hold a coffee morning, BBQ, lunch, picnic, afternoon tea or dinner party. Then instead of giving flowers, wine or chocolates to the host, ask your guests to give a donation for you to pass on to CHESS.
How to get started
- Set a date in the year and invite as many friends and family as you can. When you have decided what, where and when, please get in touch with us to receive your Platters that Matter promotion pack. Drop an email to fundraising@chesshomeless.org or call the office on 01245 281104
- Encourage other friends or family to hold their own events as well. We want to raise as much as possible to support as many people as we can
- Share photos from your events to our social media pages using #plattersthatmatter and tag us @chesshomeless
Other ideas for your event
- ‘Celebrity Homeless Dinner’ – invite guests to dress up as a celebrity that used to be homeless, they then research and share their stories at the event of how their life turned around. We can help you with information on previously homeless celebrities to pass to your guests
- ‘Ready Steady Cook’ – Cook a 3 course meal using the budget we have to provide meals at our Night Shelter for 9 residents
- ‘Dream Dinner Party’ – Think up your dream guests for a dinner party and send out your invitations. Your ‘dream’ guests then have to find out some interesting facts about that person and ‘be’ them for the course of the event. To spice it up they can dress up as them as well
- ‘Bangers and Cash’ – Hold a virtual or socially distant BBQ. Simple but effective!
If you are unable to take part in a “Platters that Matter” event but would like to support CHESS by way of giving a donation, you can do this in a few ways.
- Donate Online DONATE
- Sending a cheque made payable to CHESS to CHESS Homeless, 200 New London Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 9AB.
- Call us to make a donation over the phone on 01245 281104
