Wimbledon Foundation & Community Manager Ulrika Hogberg was invited to switch on this year’s Christmas lights in neighbouring Southfields. Sponsored by the AELTC for a fifth consecutive year, over 1,000 residents braved the cold weather to enjoy mince pies and mulled wine served by local businesses and carols sung by Riversdale, Sheringdale and St Michael’s primary schools. 

The Wimbledon Foundation also visited the children’s ward at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, delivering Wimbledon teddy bears and presents for children unable to go home for Christmas. This weekend, the Foundation will host the Merton Foster Carers Christmas Party at the AELTC, providing a Christmas celebration for vulnerable young people and their foster carers across the London Borough of Merton.

Together with FMC, official caterers at The Championships, the Wimbledon Foundation has been able to meet requests for urgent items from the Wandsworth and Wimbledon Food Banks including laundry detergent donated by the Ladies’ Dressing Room.

The Dressing Rooms have also donated a large quantity of towels to the Merton Winter Night Shelter, one of two local night shelters the Wimbledon Foundation is supporting this winter. Run in partnership with local faith groups, the Merton Winter Night Shelter and Wandsworth-based Glass Door provide a hot, homemade meal and a safe, warm place to stay for rough sleepers across the boroughs.

Nicki Zisman, who runs the Merton Winter Night Shelter said, “We cannot thank the Wimbledon Foundation enough for funding the shelter for the next two years. It takes so much of the worry away and enables us to focus on looking after the guests at the shelter doing all we can to help them get back on their feet. Guests arrive at a pretty low ebb, but just that show of love, support and care helps people pick themselves up.” The grant awarded to Glass Door by the Foundation’s Community Fund will enable them to operate every night during the Christmas fortnight.

Ulrika Hogberg, Wimbledon Foundation & Community Manager said, “Supporting our local communities in Merton and Wandsworth is at the very heart of what the Wimbledon Foundation does so we are pleased to have been able to use the resources we have to support local people in a variety of ways this Christmas.”