Our Commitment to Community: How Unique Magazines is Supporting Changing Lives at Christmas

22nd December 2025

Behind every story and statistic shared by Changing Lives is a person. Someone who deserves dignity, warmth, and care. Through their Christmas Meal Appeal, Changing Lives creates a safe, welcoming space for people experiencing homelessness, offering not only a hot meal during the festive period, but companionship and support when it is needed most.

As a local North East business with community at its heart, Unique Magazines is proud to support Changing Lives, a charity that has been working across the UK for over 50 years and now helps more than 14,000 people every year. Inspired by the charity’s incredible work, this Christmas we donated £100 to their Christmas Meal Appeal to help fund a hosted meal at Café 16, located within Newcastle Cathedral, on 19th December. This contribution helps bring people off the streets, offering warmth, conversation and a proper meal during what can be an incredibly isolating time of year.

Our relationship with Changing Lives began earlier this year through a number of local events and fundraising initiatives. Ellie, our Creative Content, Events and Social Media Manager, has worked closely with the charity throughout the year, including a collaboration around the Great North Run. As part of this, publishers of Like The Wind magazine and Ultra magazine generously donated copies to be included in runner goody bags, a small but meaningful way to support participants while raising awareness of the charity’s work.

Christmas is often associated with warmth, family, generosity and togetherness. However, for many people across the North East and beyond, this is not the reality. Issues such as housing shortages, unemployment and the ongoing cost of living crisis mean that the festive season can instead highlight loneliness, insecurity and hardship. Sadly, these challenges are often closer to home than we realise.

At Unique Magazines, we believe in giving back to our local community wherever we can. Supporting the Changing Lives Christmas Meal Appeal is one small way we can contribute during this festive season, helping to tackle homelessness and care for those who are most vulnerable at this time of year. A hot Christmas meal is something many of us take for granted, but for others, it can mean comfort, dignity, and a reminder that they are not alone.

The success of our earlier collaborations with Changing Lives encouraged us to continue supporting their work, and donating to this appeal felt like the right thing to do. Especially during the long, cold winter months, when many people are without family or a support network, initiatives like this can make a real difference.

We are incredibly grateful to Changing Lives for the vital work they do year-round, and we are proud to stand alongside them in supporting this important cause. This is a partnership we are committed to continuing into the new year and beyond, as we work together to support people experiencing homelessness and create meaningful change within our community.

If this story has resonated with you, you can find out more about the Changing Lives Christmas Meal Appeal or how to make a donation via the links below. Every contribution helps provide warmth, dignity and support to those who need it most.

Useful Links:

Changing Lives website

Christmas Meal Appeal donation page