Fourth Annual Winter Warmer Sees Highest Ever Donations

12th February 2026

Reading’s businesses and community have come together in a record-breaking show of generosity for the 2026 Winter Warmer event, distributing 852 items of warm clothing to those in need.

Building on the success of previous years, the initiative saw a surge in donations from local businesses, commuters, and residents. The total number of items distributed represents an increase over last year’s 750 items.

The redistributions focused on essential winter gear to ensure the community’s most vulnerable stayed warm during the coldest months. The breakdown of items gifted includes:

• Coats and Jackets: 175
• Jumpers / Fleeces: 193
• Gloves: 113
• Scarves: 103
• Hats: 130
• Other essential garments: 138

The event directly supported 187 individuals, but the impact extended far beyond the collection day. In a collaborative effort with local partners, the event also provided clothing for 13 men in a homeless shelter via Faith, as well as supplies for Launchpad clients and numerous families supported by Children’s Centres. To ensure continued support, an additional 10 boxes of clothing are scheduled for delivery to family workers next week.

Now in its fourth year, the Winter Warmer event is a joint effort run by Southeast Community Rail Partnership and Reading Basingstoke Community Rail Partnership, with vital support from Reading BIDs (managed by REDA), Great Western Railway, South Western Railway, and Network Rail.

Alexa Volker, Reading BID Manager at REDA, commented:

“We’re proud to be supporting Reading’s Winter Warmer event again this year. Winter can be a challenging time for many within our community, and something as simple as a warm coat is not always guaranteed. Over the past four years, our local businesses and members of the public have donated thousands of pieces of warm clothing have been donated, making a real difference to people across our community.”

Calum Mackay, Station Transformation Programme Manager at Network Rail, said:

“It is incredible to see how the Winter Warmers initiative has evolved over the last four years. Surpassing last year's number of items is a testament to the generosity of the Reading community. At Network Rail it is important to bring our customers and communities together to offer support to those in need. Working with partners organisations in Reading we were able to come together to protect vulnerable people from the cold this winter and we look forward to continuing to drive this programme forward.”