Christmas Giving Tree 2023

As the festive season approaches, we wanted to help more local charities this year. Due to its success last Christmas, we have set up our giving tree once again for 2023.  

Two charities were chosen with different needs, who we know will relish each gift received.  

Similar to our last giving Christmas tree, it was filled with tags with gift ideas for each charity, both chosen charities kindly recommended gifts they required, which helped us purchase items they desperately need.   

To enable everyone to take part, the first £10 of every gift was funded by the business with an optional personal top up.   

Our gifting tree is simple, staff just take a tag or two, purchase the gifts, wrap them up and put them under the tree. All gifts were delivered to the charities on the 19th December. We are honoured to be able to make a difference to the lives of those in need during the holiday season.  

We want to express our gratitude to all our staff for their support and generosity. Without their contributions, none of this would have been possible. We look forward to continuing our tradition of giving back to the community next Christmas and beyond.  

As well as our giving tree, staff took part in our Christmas jumper day on the 7th December, we had a wide array of festive jumpers on display.  In 2022, Christmas Jumper Day raised over £35 million, so we are trying to do what we can to help beat this figure this year! 

The charities we will be supporting this year are: 

The Umbrella Centre in Canterbury 

We provided a selection of presents for their Christmas Party to ensure all attendees went home with a special gift. In total, The Umbrella Centre catered for approx. 150 guests on the 20th December, and even invited Santa along to hand out the gifts. 

https://www.canterburyumbrella.org/  

The Canterbury Umbrella Centre is a social support centre for adults with mental health and learning difficulties and those who are isolated in the community. 

They run a number of courses, activities and day trips and have a large building with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. 

Canterbury Umbrella is a Community Hub that provides a place for people to go and relax, meet friends and receive support from their staff, volunteers and other members. 

They run many regular classes and groups that provide support and stimulation in a planned and responsive way. These have continued virtually throughout the Covid period and have proven to be of huge benefit to many of their members.  

Rhodes Minnis Cat Sanctuary 

We gifted a mixture of cat food and treats, which they always require to ensure all their cats are fed well. 

https://www.rhodesminniscatsanctuary.com/  

The Purpose of the charity is to take in and care for unwanted and homeless cats and kittens from Kent, London and sometimes further afield. 

Some are strays, others have been ill-treated or abandoned, but most are brought in by their owners because, for one reason or another, they are unable to look after their pets anymore. 

The Sanctuary’s aim is to re-home as many cats that are brought in as possible. However, those which cannot be re-homed, because they are too timid, bad tempered, on permanent medication or just won't settle in a house, stay with them for the rest of their lives. At any one time they can have about 150 cats on the premises, of which about 60 are available for re-homing.  

Since 1970 they have found homes for over 23,000 cats. In 2022 they took in 259 cats and re-homed 245 cats & kittens; the re-homing figure includes the kittens born in the Sanctuary during the year. 

‘At the Rhodes Minnis Cat Sanctuary, we accept cats regardless of age or behavioural problems. We are reliant totally on donations for everything, including cat food. This generous donation will go a long way towards feeding our resident animals over the Christmas period and beyond, as some of our cats will never find homes and will live out their days with us. Our thanks go out to Orbital Net for this generous gift.’   

Adam - Rhodes Minnis Cat Sanctuary 

You can also help support both charities, just visit their website to see how you can donate.