As Christmas Day approaches, we have already been celebrating here at McCarthy’s with Christmas jumpers, exchanging Secret Santa gifts and a Christmas Fuddle.
We celebrated the official Christmas Jumper Day that took place on Friday 16th December but we like to do things a bit differently here so saved the fuddle and secret santa event until Wednesday 21st… The idea for Christmas Jumper Day is that people across the world, young and old, unite and don their favourite festive knit. Celebrations are all in aid of Save the Children.
The organisers encourage businesses, schools or even family and friends to enjoy games, celebrations and events whilst also raising money for the worthy cause. Many also choose to hold bake sales and ask those around them to whip up something a bit special. At McCarthy’s we have decided to do just that with staff across the company taking to their kitchens to make biscuits, buns and cakes a plenty. Take a look at our spread and Christmas tree filled with Secret Santa gifts below.
As well as Christmas Jumper Day, we are also supporting St Gemma’s Hospice with their Christmas Tree Recycle Scheme again this year. We will be providing them with one of our trusty McCarthy’s vans and some drivers from the 9th-13th of January so keep an eye out for us!
For those that don’t know, St Gemma’s Hospice is based in Moortown, Leeds and provides the best possible care and quality of life for local people with cancer and other life threatening illnesses. Care provided is free of charge to patients and their families so St Gemma’s relies on donations and local fundraising initiatives in the community.
Because of this the team at St Gemma’s work hard to find fun and interesting ways to 
fundraise and have now been running the Christmas tree recycle scheme for four years. Each January the team travels across the region collecting up trees that are ready to leave homes after a lovely Christmas. The scheme hopes to take the headache out of disposing of your old tree and in return asks for a small donation that will go towards the care of their patients. What’s more, the trees are carefully taken to council waste sites where they are recycled into household products meaning that everyone is a winner!
Leeds residents in the following postcodes can register for the service at https://events.st-gemma.co.uk/events/christmas-tree-collection-2017/ LS6, LS7, LS8, LS9, LS13, LS14, LS15, LS16, LS17, LS18, LS19, LS21, LS28, LS29.
Last year the initiative raised an incredible £15,000, all of which goes towards the care of patients at a time in their lives when it really is invaluable. If you would like further information take a look at their website.
Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas from all of us here at McCarthy’s.
