“Put your jacket on!” “I don't need a jacket!” is my vexed conversation each morning.

To me, Narnia has descended upon Wimbledon at 7.30am. To my kids, I am just a neurotic mother who frets around making sure they have eaten all their porridge before they leg it to school crunching on frozen leaves. “Where's your jacket?” asks the teacher at the gate, as I turn as red as my nose. Welcome to winter. My heating is yanked up and last years scarves and hats have made an official come-back.

I wish I was organised and had Christmas all wrapped up in November, but I am still not feeling it. If I’m honest, I just feel slightly uneasy spending so much money on one day. There are kids with nothing, whilst my kids are checking out the latest iPhones and Virtual Reality headsets! I want them to be excited and feel the magic of presents, but not really to the point they will loose themselves in more tech. I do have a plan. I'm not sure it will work, but at least it's a plan to distract us all from the forthcoming Black Friday. The idea came to me on Sunday. It was a perfect cold but sunny autumn morning, so we went for a walk to the lake by the Windmill. Whilst watching them play, a little West Highland Terrier came and sat beside me and a lightbulb pinged above my head. My plan starts this weekend with a visit to Battersea Dogs Home to see if we can find a little furry friend to release us from more screen time and into... well, Narnia!

Wimbledon Times:

I also need to find time this weekend to find a dress for The Wimbledon Christmas Party I will be hosting at Hotel du Vin, Wimbledon on 4th December. It is always such a glamorous event and everyone is invited. Fizz, wine and canapés will be served, while guests mingle and dance in the stunning festive orangery. Whilst everyone deserves to put their glad rags on at least once this sparkly season, there is another side to our borough which also deserves our attention. It is impossible to think about Christmas and brace the cold weather without thinking about those who don't have warm homes. The sight of others enjoying a party has the potential to increase the feeling of loneliness and isolation. I have been very fortunate to learn about a charity right on our doorstep that supports the young homeless people across London, including Merton.

Evolve Housing + Support give so much more than just a roof over people’s heads. As well as providing stable and ongoing accommodation throughout the harsh, cold winter months, they offer one to one support for the 110 young people in their services in Merton who would otherwise be on the streets.

It is an obvious charity for guests to support at The Wimbledon Christmas Party. There will be raffle tickets sold by Evolve staff on the night so they can help more homeless young people in Merton this Christmas.

Wimbledon Times:

Many of the homeless young people they come across don’t have family networks, and Christmas can be a reminder of their past traumas. Every winter they work with local businesses and community groups to ensure that they are able to give all of their 700 homeless people living in their supported accommodation the kind of gifts that everyone hopes to receive on Christmas Day. This December they will be at Wimbledon station at Wimbledon train station holding a collection that will help them provide a Christmas dinner to their homeless customers, as well as continue the life changing programmes including Health + Wellbeing and Work + Learning, this Christmas, and all year round.

If you would like to get involved in collecting much needed funds and presents for homeless young people in Wimbledon this Christmas, please get in touch with hannah.ward@evolvehousing.org.uk or call 020 7101 9960. If you are tempted to join a Christmas Party to meet new people or bring a friend and toast this festive season, please email rsvp@ladywimbledon.com for tickets.

For now, let's wrap up warm and pass our smiles to friends, neighbours, and all the folks of Merton, especially those on our streets this winter.

Warmest,

@LadyWimbledon