Published: December 22, 2022 | Updated: 31st December 2022
Day in, day out we bring you upbeat, positive stories from our amazing county and never more so than at Christmas.
Our seasonal round-up includes Tesco, Poole’s Dolphin Centre, Homelessness Partnership BCP, Haskins, Forest Holme Hospice, Goulds and Home-Start West Dorset.
From the team that brings you Dorset Biz News 52 weeks a year, thanks for all your support in 2022 and a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
See you in ’23 for what promises to be quite a year…
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Dorset shoppers part of record year of giving to food banks & charities
Dorset Tesco shoppers have been their most generous ever in support of foodbanks and local charities, helping to make it a record-breaking year.
The total amount of food donated by Tesco shoppers to the Trussell Trust and FareShare during 2022 was equivalent of 12.5 million meals with 172,745 coming from Dorset.
The donations to the Trussell Trust help food banks to provide emergency food parcels to people in crisis, while donations to FareShare support frontline community charities.
Tesco has also topped up all customer donations during the collection by 20 per cent in cash.
The money will support the two charities with their operating costs and ensure the food can get to where it is most needed.
Jason Tarry, Tesco UK and Northern Ireland CEO, said: “Our customers have always amazed us with their generosity, this year more than ever.
“We know that household budgets are very stretched, but our customers have been incredible.
“We had people donating whole trollies of food at our recent Tesco Food Collection, and it is genuinely heart-warming to see so much kindness.”
Tesco customers donated more than 2.4 million meals during the winter Food Collection at the beginning of December, with 28,553 of those meals coming from shoppers in Dorset.
In addition to the donations of food, the pre-Christmas Tesco Food Collection saw customers donate more than £382,000 to the charities by rounding up their bills at the till, donate £133,000 through a link from Tesco’s online groceries website and give more than £19,000 of Tesco Clubcard vouchers, which Tesco has matched.
Tesco also donates its unsold food to FareShare and, including those donations, more than 39 million meals have been provided by Tesco and its customers in the past year.
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Mrs Claus’ Kitchen and Dolphin Centre team up to help homeless
Forget taking a selfie – ‘tis the season for an elfie!
The Homelessness Partnership BCP gave a hearty round of Santa-plause to Mrs Claus and her band of merry elves.
Mrs Claus’ Kitchen, a free, gingerbread man-decorating, festive workshop in Poole’s Dolphin Centre, pulled out all the stops to help the Partnership succeed in its mission of ensuring that everyone in the BCP area has a safe place to call home.
Left to right: Lili Leung, Allyson Bailey (Mrs Claus), Emily Fysh and Eloise C J Pearce.
The Dolphin Centre teamed up with creative retail marketing and events company Atomic Bee to stage Mrs Claus’ Kitchen.
John Grinnell, Centre Manager at the Dolphin Centre, said: “The magic of Christmas is all about creating memories that last a lifetime while connecting with our wider community.
“We are thankful for the generous donations raised through our Mrs Claus’ Kitchen workshops which will provide invaluable support for people who require the services provided by Homelessness Partnership BCP.”
Alistair Doxat-Purser, Chair of the Partnership Forum, pictured right, said: “Thank you to the brilliant team at the Dolphin Centre and Mrs Claus’ Kitchen for showing the true spirit of Christmas – helping families to enjoy this special season while raising funds for those in need.
“This generous support will ensure we can continue to help those who are rough sleeping to move into safe accommodation, while working to end all forms of homelessness.
“We are so grateful for the many wonderful donations received.”
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Haskins Garden Centre raises Christmas spirits for children
Haskins Garden Centre in Ferndown donated more than 100 toy reindeers to the University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity.
It helped spread some Christmas cheer at the charity’s family-friendly ‘Elf Dash’ event at Branksome Dene Beach.
All proceeds from the event went to support many of University Hospitals Dorset’s important charity projects.
They include buying Christmas presents for patients who will be spending the festive season in hospital.
Marc Etheridge, Assistant General Manager of Haskins Ferndown, said: “The whole team at Haskins is delighted that we are continuing to support local charities through our Christmas toy donations this year.
“Our Ferndown centre is closely connected to the local community.
“It brings myself, and the team, immense pride that we have been able to build on our strong relationship with University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity to bring some festive magic to the children’s ward this Christmas.”
Left to right: Mike Knight, Assistant General Manager, Haskins Ferndown; Hayley Harris, Corporate Fundraiser, University Hospitals Dorset; Jenny Gardener, Assistant Customer Services Team leader, Ferndown; Ben Ryding, Customer Services Team Leader, Ferndown.
Hayley Harris, Corporate Fundraiser for University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity, added: “Haskins Garden Centre continues to be such a wonderful support for the hospitals.
“This generous donation of plush toys was used as part of our Christmas Elf Dash Event to help raise funds for the priority projects across our hospitals this Christmas.
“This includes supporting our children’s services, as well as ensuring all our patients with us on Christmas Day receive a present.”
In total, Haskins has donated 300 cuddly toys to charities across the south this festive season, to support and share festive goodwill to communities that are local to its centres.
Haskins has five garden centres across the South of England and celebrated 140 years in the horticultural industry this year.
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Charlie the donkey concludes hospice’s 12 Days of Christmas events
Forest Holme Hospice in Poole organised a 12 Days of Christmas series of activities, treats and surprises.
The initiative was to help leave lasting memories of Christmas cheer for those in their care, along with families and staff.
In the run-up to the big day, the hospice arranged live performances from dancers, a young cellist, ukulele band and staff choir, distributed gifts including Lush bath sets and food hampers, and organised wreath-making sessions, pizzas and luxury hot chocolate for staff.
The 12 Days concluded with a visit from a therapy donkey called Charlie, courtesy of Kelly’s Donkeys, who visited and met with patients, visitors and staff.
Paul Tucker, Communications Manager at Forest Holme Hospice Charity, said: “The idea of the 12 Days of Christmas special activities was to help leave lasting memories of Christmas cheer at the hospice, particularly to those in our care and their families.
“We wanted to do everything possible to make it truly memorable, especially as for many this Christmas will be their last.
“We are extremely grateful to everyone that has helped make these 12 days truly magical.”
Forest Holme Hospice provides palliative and end-of life-care and support to more than 1,500 people each year across Poole, Wimborne and the Isle of Purbeck with advanced cancer and other life-limiting illnesses such as Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s, heart disease and respiratory illness.
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GoodOaks professionals and clients enjoy festive spectacular
From Silent Night to Deck the Halls, GoodOaks care professionals and clients enjoyed a festive spectacular.
The live-in and visiting care specialist brought its community together for a festive sing-along at St Aldhelm’s Church in Branksome, Poole.
The care professionals at GoodOaks helped their clients to attend the event, offering them an opportunity to enjoy a catch up over drinks and mince pies.
The community also got a special opportunity to visit the GoodOaks Christmas tree, which is currently decorated and on display in the church as part of its Christmas Tree Festival.
Ben Ashton, Co-Director of GoodOaks, said: “Our clients are at the very heart of everything we do and we wanted to help bring people together to boost their Christmas spirit.
“Our care teams work hard all year round, but there’s a special buzz around the holidays.
“All of our care professionals are determined to make the festive season extra special for our clients.”
GoodOaks helps people live independently in the comfort of their own homes.
It helps with everything from cooking and cleaning to companionship, doing the food shopping and taking clients out to see family and friends.
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Store gives cash boost to Home-Start charity
Fundraising efforts by Goulds garden centre in Weymouth and their stores in Dorchester have raised over £1,000 for Home-Start West Dorset.
The local, independent charity will use the funds to support struggling families with young children in the West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland areas.
Chris Gould, Goulds Director, said: “Each year we nominate a charity to benefit from the fundraising raffles held at our Late Night Christmas Shopping evenings.
“Home-Start West Dorset does incredible work to support local families in their toughest times and we are pleased to have raised £1,007 for this deserving charity.
“We thank all our generous customers for taking part.”
The store group donated ten prizes for the two raffles held at its Weymouth garden centre and household and fashion stores in South Street, Dorchester.
Prizes included gift vouchers, hampers, beauty products, planted containers and even a fresh Christmas tree complete with lights.
The Dorchester 1st prize winner, Ronnie Tweddle, pictured with Chris Gould and Helen Horsley, Manager of Home-Start West Dorset, was delighted with her £250 voucher to spend in Goulds.
She said: “What a lovely surprise!
“I only entered to support such a worthy cause, but I am delighted to win a shopping spree at Goulds.
“It is a store I have been shopping at for over 30 years!”
Lynn Walsh was the first prize winner of a £200 Christmas decoration voucher at Goulds Garden Centre in Weymouth.
Helen Horsley, Manager Home-Start West Dorset said: “We are delighted by the support Goulds have given Home-Start West Dorset.
“It has been an incredibly tough year for so many in our local community.
“This welcome boost to our funds will go directly to support families who are struggling in Weymouth, Dorchester and West Dorset.”
HomeStart West Dorset supports 70 to 100 families in the local area each year, and is expecting demand to increase with the cost of living crisis.
Anthony Gould, Goulds Director, said: “As a family run business, we always do what we can to support the local community.
“We are pleased to raise awareness and support this charity, which gives timely help to children and their families, when they need it the most.”
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Tesco store ensures children have a special Christmas
Kind-hearted colleagues at Tesco’s Poole Extra store have donated bagfuls of presents to nearby schools to ensure no children and their families go without this Christmas.
The Yarrow Road store collected a wide range of toys for the schools in the TEACH Trust – Ad Astra Infant School, Haymoor Junior School, Canford Heath Infant School and Canford Heath Junior School.
The donation came after pastoral care teams from each school identified a total of 52 families who are struggling financially this year and need a little help.
Nearly 140 children were identified, ranging in age from 0-18.
Carla Whitemore, Community Champion at the Poole Extra store, said: “We’re thrilled to be helping the local schools ahead of Christmas.
“This initiative has been completely staff-driven, with staff donating the presents for the families.
“Each family has received at least two bags of gifts, with each child receiving around three gifts.
“We delivered the gifts to the schools so the presents can be distributed before the end of term. We are on our third year of doing this and the need is becoming more as the years go on.”
Lucy Waterhouse, headteacher at Haymoor Junior School, was full of praise for Carla and her colleagues.
She said: “The generosity of the Tesco staff has been unbelievable.
“Carla has coordinated the project brilliantly and it has meant that these children all had presents to open this Christmas.
“This year, more than any other, families are stretched and it can be a very stressful and worrying time for parents.
“The staff at Tesco have made a massive difference to these families.
“When we have given parents the bags full of gifts and treats they have been overwhelmed and quite emotional.
“You can tell it has made a big difference to them just when they needed it most.
“We honestly cannot thank Carla or the Tesco staff enough.”
