A Tonbridge-based charity has signed up to a global day of giving this winter.

The Bridge Trust, which supports single homeless adults, will take part in Giving Tuesday which encourages people and businesses to give their time, money or voice to charity for a day.

This is the UK's very first Giving Tuesday and the Bridge Trust has joined in order to launch its annual Christmas Appeal and promote it to a wide audience.

The charity provides accommodation and support services for single homeless adults in West Kent.

Caroline Dunmall, marketing and fundraising officer for The Bridge Trust said: “I recently attended the launch of #Giving Tuesday in the UK.

"I found it really inspiring to see the potential of this special day and the difference it could make to charities, especially smaller ones like The Bridge Trust.

"We have signed up to the UK’s very first #Giving Tuesday and will be using the opportunity to launch our annual Christmas Appeal. We very much hope that this will encourage people to give generously and enable us to help turn around the lives of those without anywhere to call “home”.

"I found it really inspiring to see the potential of this special day and the difference it could make to charities, especially smaller ones like The Bridge Trust" - Caroline Dunmall...

#GivingTuesday, which this year sees its UK launch will culminate with a global day of giving on December 2.

It will ask people to take part in a day of doing good, asking them to do one simple charitable act on the day and it is hoped that #GivingTuesday in the UK will replicate the successes of the US, where they have seen a huge spike in donations.

#Giving Tuesday in the UK is led by the Charities Aid Foundation, with support from Blackbaud.

Leaders from businesses, charities and the media have joined them to explore how they can boost donations to charity and volunteering and create a giving movement in the UK.

John Low, chief executive of the charities aid foundation, said “We’re really excited to be bringing #GivingTuesday to the UK and it is fantastic that so many brilliant businesses and charities are getting involved.

"We’re bringing #GivingTuesday to the UK to provide a contrast to the peak shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, to remind us that the spirit of the festive season should be about community and not just consumerism.

"We hope that we can capture the imagination of the British public and permanently establish a day in the calendar to celebrate giving and the fantastic work charities are doing all over the country”.

To learn more about #GivingTuesday visit www.givingtuesday.org.uk or use the #GivingTuesday hashtag on Twitter.

For more information on The Bridge Trust, visit www.thebridgetrust.org.uk.