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The Christmas Hamper Challenge
In December Careforce branches around the country decided to collect items to make up Hampers for their Service Users who would be alone at Christmas. The response was phenomenal, here are some of their stories and pictures:

Birmingham teams up with Mears and Landrover to collect items for 35 hampers. Twenty five were donated to Service Users and ten to local homeless charity, SIFA FIRESIDE.
	Workington worked with children and their families from Seaton Junior School to collect items and decorate hampers. Between them they made up 27 hampers. Branch Manager, Jackie Treleven said she was overwhelmed by their generosity.
Lisburn donated seven hampers to the City Mission for families in East Belfast and donated money saved by not sending Christmas cards to the Prison Fellowship, to buy six hampers for the families of prisoners.	Wallsend received donations of hampers from Mears Newcastle and Sunderland College.
	Hemsworth received donations from Mears Wakefield and Somerfield and collected enough items to make up a small gift box for every one of its 240 Service Users. They also made up large hampers which were won by three lucky Service Users in a free raffle.
Doncaster successfully asked both staff and local businesses to take up the challenge and distributed several hampers to delighted Service Users.
	Three Service Users received lovely hampers from the Wigan branch.
Accrington made up four hampers for its Service Users. Cannock collected items and gave out fifteen hampers.	Wirral held an Open Day so the local community could join and help raise money and items for the hampers. They collected enough fro 25 which local schoolchildren decorated for them.
	Milton Keynes gave eight large hampers and five flower arrangements to Service Users. Staff also gave out Golden Tickets before Christmas each ticket representing an hour of their time which they gave free to help with Christmas shopping, posting cards, wrapping presents and other Christmas chores.
St Neots made and delivered eleven hampers for Service Users and a large one for Church Walk Day Centre.
	Waterbeach teams collected items for 22 hampers as well as inviting Service Users to a traditional Victorian Christmas tea party.

Peterborough worked with local businesses to collect enough donations to make a hamper for every one of its 44 Service Users which they delivered despite the snow.
	Warmley delivered fifteen hampers, seven came from Mears Gloucester and Warmley staff donated items to make up another eight.
Richmond made up hampers with items donated to charity Contact the Elderly. Mears stepped in to help by picking up the hamper goods.
	Colchester delivered five hampers on Christmas eve, one was made up and donated to them by Witham NVQ Centre.

Getting Greener Campaign

As a group we are aiming to become Carbon Neutral and are encouraging staff to become positive contributors to the environment, both at home and at work. Every branch is asked to help actively introduce measures that reduce waste, maximise recycling and cut down on emissions in the office and, wherever possible, to help our service users reduce their energy use as well.