Campaign to give homeless people warm coats launches in Cardiff

Wrapping up: how you can help

Wrap Up Cardiff and Wrap Up Newport are part of a larger network of Wrap Up campaigns which began with the first Wrap Up in London in 2011.

Since then, other Wrap Ups have begun in cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Leicester. Wrap Up London is a campaign run by the charity Hands On London.

The Wrap Up campaign asks for donations of old, unwanted coats – with a preference for warm winter coats.

Wrap Up Cardiff also accept lighter coats as these may be used as an undercoat for vulnerable people. Coats for men are particularly welcomed.

A red Wrap Up scarf is draped around a statue in London

Wrap Up scarf on a statue in London

Coats can be dropped off between November 1 and November 30 at the Safestore storage facility on Newport Road, Cardiff.

You can also post donations. Details of a free postage label will be made available by Wrap Up Cardiff during November.

If you or anyone you know are at risk of becoming homeless, Wrap Up Cardiff advise you to contact Shelter Cymru, the local authority or Cardiff and Vale Citizens Advice.

With winter fast approaching a Cardiff group is launching a coat donation campaign for homeless and vulnerable people

Wrap Up coat collection

A campaign to help homeless and vulnerable people keep warm over the winter launches in Cardiff at the beginning of November.

Wrap Up Cardiff will collect donations of warm winter coats from November 1 to November 30, and distribute them via partner charities who specialise in working with homeless and vulnerable people in Cardiff.

The campaign is being launched less than a month after the Office for National Statistics released figures showing a 22% rise in deaths of homeless people in England and Wales in 2018, the highest year-on-year rise since the data was first recorded by the ONS.

Hannah Richards, campaign lead for Wrap Up Cardiff, said that they aim to support a range of vulnerable people.

“We support all types of homeless people – from couch surfers to rough sleepers, vulnerable people, victims of domestic abuse, refugees and asylum seekers and very poor people who can’t afford to buy a coat,” said Hannah.

Wrap Up Cardiff will partner with Safestore who have donated a free storage unit to store the coats on Newport Road, Cardiff.

Homeless charities will collect them in December and distribute them to vulnerable people in need.

Hannah said there’s already been interest shown in donating. “People want to get involved and drop off coats, so there’s definitely an interest and people wanting to spread the word which is great,” she said.

Coat collection for year one of Wrap Up Newport, 2018

She was inspired to start Wrap Up Cardiff after the success of Wrap Up Newport who ran their first campaign last year.

Tariq Khan, project manager for Wrap Up Newport, said, “Last year’s campaign was an overwhelming success in terms of exceeding expectations.

“This year is about catching the imagination across the city. It’s not about the numbers but the difference that even one coat donation can make to those in need.”