A FUNDRAISING drive to support rough sleepers this Christmas could make a big difference to a charity's efforts to help them rebuild their lives.

Kate Cocker, director of Crisis Skylight Oxford, has welcomed the Oxfordshire Community Foundation campaign called the Christmas Match Fund.

In an initiative backed by the Oxford Mail, the foundation is matching any donation to Oxford Poverty Action Trust, from now until January 6.

OxPAT supports a number of organisations and charities tackling homelessness, including Crisis Skylight Oxford, one of nine to benefit from the fund.

Kate Cocker, director of the charity’s base in George Street, said: “It’s great to hear about the match fund.

“As we all know the number of people sleeping rough is high and we need to do everything we can to support them - in these winter months it is only going to get colder.

“We have received money before from OxPAT and it can make a real difference.

“We can buy household items for people who are moving back into accommodation.

“And if people are looking to get back into work we can buy them certain clothes - for example if they are going to be working on building sites.

“The Skylight centre in Oxford supports anyone who is homeless in a number of different ways.”

Ms Cocker added that the Crisis Skylight Cafe operated as a training cafe for the homeless to give people skills they need to get back into employment.

OCF will give £1 for every £1 donated via OxPAT’s website.

The community foundation will match donations up to £50,000 and organisers are hoping a total of £100,000 could be raised.

The city council is backing the campaign and said it would help to direct donations to organisations which could use them in the most constructive way possible,

Council leader Susan Brown urged people to support the campaign instead of handing money to the homeless in the street.

Crisis Skylight opened in Oxford in 2011 and had helped more than 2,000 people by 2016.

It supports the homeless by helping them find training and education.

Staff also give advice on debts and benefits, how to find and keep a job and housing advice.

The council is providing up to 215 beds for rough sleepers this winter, including 41 new spaces. You can make a Christmas Match Fund donation to OxPAT on the Charities Aid Foundation website at cafdonate.cafonline.org/8613#/DonationDetails