Tens of thousands are expected to meet at boxing day hunts across the uk , often attended by across the uk, often attended by anti hunting protesters. And this year is predicted to be no different. Different. Labours been warned to end its running attack on Rural Communities. Communities. Plus this morning aidan magee is here with your sport. Is here with your sport. Yes. Good morning. Happy boxing day everybody. Its going to be a feast of premier League Football as expected for the time of year. Could it be d day for Manchester United manager erik united welcome erik ten hag as united welcome aston old Trafford Aston Villa to old trafford tonight, well also looking tonight, well also be looking ahead boxing day racing. Thanks aidan and Greg Dewhurst. Has your weather. Good morning. Brighter skies across much of the uk. This boxing day, but how long will it last before rain returns . Find out all the details coming up soon. How was your christmas . Did how was your christmas . Did you have a peaceful time . Was it full of drama . Let us know what made Christmas Day memorable for you. Or maybe you didnt quite get what you wanted. Youre selling your presents on. Maybe let us know what youre up to today as well. Join in our chat by emailing gb views us gbnews. Com or you can tweet slash x at. Slash x at. Gb news. Really good to have your company this morning on what . On boxing day where many of you are maybe feeling a little bit a little bit fragile , perhaps a little bit fragile, perhaps a little bit. Lots of cheese, lots of wine, of course, full of a turkey dinner or a nut roast, of course, of your vegetarian as well. Pip. What presents . Did you get anything exciting . You get anything exciting . Well, only asked for a few well, i only asked for a few donations. Really . Towards my donations. Really . Towards my coffee machine fund. My new coffee machine fund. My new coffee machine fund im waiting for. Im waiting for the sales. Yes. Ill be. Ill be getting on the case today, but i dont know whether people do tend to go into the shops now or whether they do everything online. Well its easier to do things its a lot easier to do things onune its a lot easier to do things online now. I think gone are the days, perhaps, where we see queues of people outside shops oxford people outside shops on Oxford Street country, street or across the country, but a coffee machine very good for 6 00 in the morning. But well have to. We it. We well have to. We have it. We have a very strong coffee have a very, very strong coffee and these lovely branded gb news mugs as well, which is lovely. Yeah so weve got lots to tell you about and talk to you about today. Do stay with us. Do get in touch as we say with with maybe the christmas presents you didnt like. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well make sure your auntie mabel isnt isnt watching to hear and tell us what you hear that and tell us what you are on boxing day. Because are up to on boxing day. Because today, weve been saying, today, as weve been saying, marks one of the busiest days of the year for high streets as shoppers hit the boxing day sales, bargain hunters are set to this what could be the to make this what could be the busiest boxing day for sales shopping in four years. And despite the cost of yeah, and despite the cost of living crisis, shoppers will spend of £253 each spend an average of £253 each dunng spend an average of £253 each during this years festive discount season. Researchers have found. But how significant is today in the british retail calendar . In the british retail calendar . Well, we are joined now by the ceo of the British Independent Retailers Association, andy goodacre. Andrew, welcome to gb news and happy boxing day. First of all, um , do people still queue um, do people still queue outside the shops like they used to . Is there bargains to be had on boxing day . On boxing day . Uh, good morning and happy boxing day to you guys. Um i dont think well see the queues that we probably remember as, uh, for many years ago, but theres no doubt that boxing day is a very important day for retailers. And its been a difficult year for many, especially the smaller independent shops and boxing day and the days between now and the new year are the last chance to make the most of this festive period. But andrew, are people actually getting a bargain or is it all a little bit of a swizz . Now these boxing day sales . Um, ho. No. Theres definitely bargains to be had. I think retailers need to be transparent about the offers , and if it is once in offers, and if it is once in a year discount that theyre offering, make sure that it is truly a once in a year discount. But theres no doubt that this time of year it is. It is a chance for retailers to move on stock that they know is not, um, or something they dont want next year. And its always been the opportunity for, for shoppers and, and people to spend money theyve received at christmas, possibly on something that they are looking for. Been waiting to get, and nows the time to buy it because it will be. Or there will be some good value offers out there. And do we know what sort of products, what sort of offers are going to top the top the list . Then . Then . Um, i think youll see offers and sales in virtually every shop out there, to be honest with you. And online, um, that it , it it, it with you. And online, um, that it, it it, it has been with you. And online, um, that it , it it, it has been such with you. And online, um, that it, it it, it has been such a difficult year for so many as i said. And now is the time to eke out every last penny we can from shoppers out there , people who shoppers out there, people who can afford, hopefully to spend that little bit more. Um at this time of year, uh , and i think time of year, uh, and i think every business will be looking to do that. And i think, you know, fingers crossed, every business succeeds in what they want to do. And what they want to achieve in the next seven days. Andrew you mentioned its been a really tough time for retailers throughout entire yeah a yeah a Christmas Period as a whole. How do you think shoppers have done in terms of giving their money and doing trading with these shops . And is boxing day realistically going to change what has already happened in the run up of Christmas Shopping and all the rest of it . Um it, you know, i think , um, i um it, you know, i think, um, i think normally we, we talk about this final three months of the year being the golden quarter for retail. Um, because it is the busiest time of year for retailers. Uh, october, november were quiet. We october, november were quiet. We saw the figures from the office of National Statistics about Consumer Spending being lower than previous years. But since black friday, there was definitely a definite a pick up. People took Christmas Shopping. Um, more seriously. And we saw um, more seriously. And we saw this, this, this level of trade increase in all shops across across the high streets in the uk. So theres been a nice build up in the festive period. This is such an important time though. This is the time when retailers sell. Most of are retailers sell. Most of are their busiest weeks of trade. Their busiest weeks of trade. And we need this because we know january and february can be very quiet, very dark, cold months. So we need we need a busy time now to help retailers see through the beginning of the yeah through the beginning of the year. And then look forward to spnng year. And then look forward to spring next year. So it is crucial, um, that they do well. It is crucial that people do come out and shop. Um, and come out and shop. Um, and fingers crossed that that will happen today. And in the next few days and just very finally, andrew, does the weather have anything to do with it, whether its , you know, the sun is out its, you know, the sun is out or whether theres a lot of wind and rain . No, it does. I think we have seen since the end of covid, weve seen people , um, covid, weve seen people, um, switch slowly but surely from onune switch slowly but surely from online into returning back to shops on high street. So the penetration of online sales has fallen. But it is. It can be weather dominated because if its if its wet and miserable as weve had the last few days, then people may well choose to stay inside and shop online. And in many cases physical in many cases for physical retailers they need people out on the street. So another key start to the day with some bright sunshine, dry weather, the get some fresh air the chance to get some fresh air will fantastic, im sure will be fantastic, and im sure the that people are the that those people are wearing physical stores will wearing the physical stores will welcome some good weather welcome some some good weather today in order bring people today in order to bring people out fully. Yeah, dont think its too yeah, i dont think its too bad, actually. I think its feeling fresher, feeling a little fresher, a little bit more wintry because feeling a little fresher, a litwas it more wintry because feeling a little fresher, a litwas so more wintry because feeling a little fresher, a litwas so very wintry because feeling a little fresher, a litwas so very ,vintry because feeling a little fresher, a litwas so very , very because feeling a little fresher, a litwas so very , very mild,jse it was so very, very mild, wasnt it . Christmas day yesterday . Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And in a way we need seasonal weather um, as well. We dont want it too cold either, but we need some seasonal weather because. Because the stock in the in the nato shops is geared towards winter. Um, and, and its mild. Um, but but its been so mild. Um, but but im fairly certain that a bit of sunshine will put a smile on peoples faces and bring people out. Peoples faces and bring people out absolutely. Okay. Andrew absolutely. Okay. Andrew goodacre the british goodacre from the British Independent Retailers Association , really good to have association, really good to have you with us. Thank you for getting up so early to join us this boxing day. Thank you. Now, new research has shown that out of the 167,000 charities in the uk , the 167,000 charities in the uk, the majority get only 10 of total donations and investment, as Many Community causes look to the year ahead , theyre having the year ahead, theyre having increasing worries about their Financial Security and whether they can continue helping people in their local areas. Well our West Midlands reporter jack carson has been finding out more from a Homeless Charity in birmingham. Birmingham. Its the season of giving and across the country many of us might be choosing to support charities with some of our christmas cash. Despite small christmas cash. Despite Small Charities making up 96 of the third sector funding for them has been declining for the last 20 years. Of the 167,000 charities in the uk , the Largest Charities in the uk, the largest 7 received 90 of funding income. Income. So we want to meet up with moeen ali in the new year to arrange a start date, if thats okay. Christy acton is the founder and ceo of standing tall, a charity in birmingham which supports Homeless People back into work. Into work. And i know of a lot of other charities who are really struggling at the moment. Um, in the last sort of three, six months, because , uh, there are months, because, uh, there are less grants , there are less less grants, there are less funds around there are so many incredible charities, Smaller Charities who are having an amazing impact on some peoples lives. And um, you know, a small donation , um, to whether its a donation, um, to whether its a local charity or , um, you know, local charity or, um, you know, a smaller National Charity , uh, a smaller National Charity, uh, it really goes a long way to, to help charities like ours to keep our work going. One of those people standing tall is supported is tyler green made homeless as a teenager and wants sofa surfing with family friends. Hes now working in an engineering role with engineering role with engineering specialist contractors to zika. He contractors to zika. He describes what his life was like before. Its like running a race with no shoes. You know . Its something you can get through. Its something that you can get past, but its not easy. You know, theres a lot of challenges you face at the time or not having your own space to just sit down and relax and chill. Thats just sit down and relax and chill. Thats hard. A lot of people dont have a lot of people dont have a lot of people take it for granted. You know, just having your own bed. Little things make a big difference. And without these difference. And without these Smaller Charities, you know, big differences wouldnt happen. All differences wouldnt happen. All it took was one phone call or one conversation. My whole life changed from having nothing. Changed from having nothing. The four is an organisation which provides support to grass root causes and has already distributed £8. 3 million worth of grants. Ceo Mary Rose Gunn says standing tall and tyler are just one of the many examples of how Smaller Charities can have a huge impact. They have so many fantastic solutions and they are just not able to scale these solutions necessarily, because they dont have access to the investment of funding that they need to the skills and also to the networks. You know, christie , which is one you know, christie, which is one of the things that we do for him, we introduce him to various different businesses that we know that we meet. You know that we meet. Were you know, helping lift know, were about helping lift up these social entrepreneurs and put them onto the next level. For those charities working within communities , the season within communities, the season of giving is a boost. But securing long tum investment is a lifeline. They cant afford to lose. Jack carson gb news, lose. Jack carson gb news, birmingham. Birmingham. They do such valuable work, dont they . Absolutely Smaller Charities. Its so crucial that , charities. Its so crucial that, uh, that we support them. Very good morning to you and happy boxing day. I think thats what you say, isnt it . You dont say merry boxing day. That sounds a bit odd. Bit odd. I think it sounds bit i think it sounds a bit weird, doesnt sure. For weird, doesnt it . For sure. For sure. Boxing day looking after all presents that we got all of the presents that we got the before. Youve the day before. But pip, youve got of dogs, dont you . Got a couple of dogs, dont you . Got three, three dogs. Ive got three, three dogs. Ive got three, three dogs. And what did the three dogs get for christmas . Me . Get for christmas . For me . Absolutely. Very sweet. Yeah, absolutely. Very sweet. Fanny what because i knew fanny adams. What because i knew that everybody else was going to, was going to get them treats and whatnot. Theyre going to be so theyre going to be properly im a stickler for always checking that their weight making theyre always checking that their wei� theyre making theyre always checking that their wei� theyre maitoo theyre always checking that their wei� theyre maitoo porky. Heyre not theyre not too porky. Was quite funny but it was quite funny actually, because yesterday there was there was almost more dogs in our house. Dogs than people in our house. Oh, had dogs in the oh, wow. We had six dogs in the house. And if you know, you know, if you if you know, you look at your face, youre like, oh, christmas , oh, that work christmas, christmas dinner, be christmas dinner, theyd be absolute mayhem. Absolute mayhem. The christmas surely at the christmas dinner they they pretty. They were pretty well behaved. Was it was carnage. But but it was it was carnage. Initially when they all get together because theyre all so excited. Are all more excited. Yeah. Are they all more excited. Yeah. Are they all more excited adults . Excited than the adults . Small dogs or are are they small dogs or are they big dogs as well . No mixture. The elder statesman a a big labrador statesman is a is a big Labrador Collie he keeping collie cross. So he was keeping all the little in check. All the little ones in check. Its very funny. Ah, its very funny. If youve got funny. Youll if youve got pets, im pets, youll know what im talking about. Pets, youll know what im tali lovely. ut. Pets, youll know what im tali lovely. uwent, pets, youll know what im talilovely. uwent, i went to a lovely. I went, i went to a christmas gathering with Christmas Eve gathering with family there dogs family and there were two dogs which had never met before, a chihuahua style dog and a kind of, poodle style dog. And chihuahua style dog and a kind of, were dle style dog. And chihuahua style dog and a kind of, were fine style dog. And chihuahua style dog and a kind of, were fine together. And chihuahua style dog and a kind of, were fine together until they were fine together until food turned up. Oh, yeah. And when turned up, got when food turned up, they got very, territorial and it very, very territorial and it started barking. And it was a bit of a fight, but we managed to them. Was all to separate them. It was all fine the end. Christmas cheer i exactly, exactly right. It is 615. Breakfast on gb 615. This is breakfast on gb news with pip tomson and Cameron Walker. Lets bring you a reminder of our top stories. Bargain hunters are set to make this the biggest boxing day for sales shopping in four years. Despite the cost of living crisis, shoppers are expected to spend an average of £253 each during the discount 5965011. Season. Labour is drawing up a watertight alternative, it says, to the rwanda migrant plan as it attempts to combat tory attacks on its immigration stance. Thats report coming from the times today. Times today. The queen has been dubbed the kings rock by her sister and described as the yin to charless yang. In a relationship that works by by brilliantly, even in a new bbc documentary wh