Modern parables of homelessness are at the heart of St George’s Crypt’s Christmas fundraising. 
Christian values of love and support are being shown in a real, practical way as the Crypt begin their social media campaign.
#Cryptmas aims to show the journey from chaos to citizenship that many of the homeless and vulnerable clients of the Crypt take.
The campaign is showcasing the services the crypt offers, by following stories of fictional clients as they move into homelessness and back again.
The Crypt hopes to show that while homelessness and associated problems are very visible during the Christmas season, they are an issue all year round that people need constant support with.
Chris Fields, CEO of St George’s Crypt, said: "Homelessness can hit anyone and we want the city to know that we are here to pick people up, support them back onto a stable footing and then work with them to get them back into suitable accommodation.
"We have an amazing team of professionals who can help with that journey, and we hope our Christmas message lets the city know what we are about, the journey our clients are on and how we are re-defining ourselves to support that journey."
St George’s Crypt has been servicing the homeless community of Leeds since 1930, and are looking to their 90th anniversary in 2020.
Their mission began when the Vicar of St George’s Church at the time, the Revd Don Robins, cleared out the church’s crypt to serve as a homeless shelter providing food and support to those hit hardest by the Great Depression of the time.
The Crypt now aims to provide a calming environment where clients can open up about their issues so they can move forward from them, in any of the several types of accommodation run by the charity.
Part of building this environment involves providing access to basic services, such as GP and dental care, physiotherapy and mental health support services.
Beds, showers, clothes and three meals a day are also provided to the on average 50 daily clients, with the food being prepared by the Crypt’s Nurture Kitchen, staffed by former clients trained in cooking and hygiene.
The Crypt encourages clients to develop basic working skills through volunteering and employment, working with partner agencies to provide the best support possible.
If you would like to see more of the work the Crypt does, and to follow their #Cryptmas campaign, please visit https://www.stgeorgescrypt.org.uk/ or search ‘St George’s Crypt Leed’s’ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.