Alongside a number of other local businesses, this year Hannells are on a mission to bring an extra bit of festive joy to Derby by providing 350 local families that otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford it with a free, slap-up Christmas meal…
With all that’s been happening in the economy this year and the constantly increasing cost of living, we’re probably all having to watch the purse-strings a little bit closer this Christmas.
But even with budgets being tighter than usual, most of us reading this article will probably still be looking forward to a nice, piping hot traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.
For many families in Derby however, that’s just not the case.
Instead of being a day of joy, spending time with family and friends (if that’s your thing!) and celebration – for many families in Derby it’s just another day of stress, worry and disappointment in not being able to provide for their families what so many others can.
That’s why this year, in partnership with the amazing team at Doorways Derby, Hannells and a number of other brilliant local businesses are on a mission to help bring just a little bit of festive joy to under-privileged families across Derby by providing them with everything they need for a Christmas feast and maybe, just maybe, for a couple of hours giving them a reason to take their mind off whatever financial situation they’re in right now and enjoy a plentiful Christmas meal with their family.
Michael Brain, joint Founding Director at Hannells, who spearheaded the initiative said, “It makes me proud to be a member of the Derby business community when we all get together to help those who have nothing to look forward to on Christmas day. I was really taken aback by the response I received when I first put this out there and by how generous people have been. I want to thank everyone who has contributed from the bottom of my heart because just for one day, you’ve helped to bring a bit of joy to a family that doesn’t have a lot to celebrate right now. Hearing some of the heart-breaking stories from Craig and Lisa at Doorways, being a part of this initiative and seeing the response it’s had has really sparked something in me and it won’t be the last we hear of Hannells being much more involved in events like this.”
Doorways was co foundered by Craig (a full time working fabricator) and Lisa Wheatley (a school cook) with friends Patrick and Tina Hall in May 2015 to help homeless rough sleepers (around 15) in Derby city centre, by providing service users with a hot meal, a sandwich pack and a hot drink.
Since then they’ve recruited a core group of volunteers who help with cooking and the running of Doorways on our nights out. They regularly see over 100 visitors on each of their nights out now and have recently become a non-profit making registered charity.
Over the last couple of weeks, thanks to the efforts of the people and businesses named below, almost £7,000 has been raised to provide meals for 350 local families.
We’ve also collected over 100 selection boxes so that children who otherwise would have been waking up to nothing on Christmas morning at least now will have a little treat and will know that there are people out there who are thinking of them.
However, we’re not done there as our goal is to get up to 700!
Every selection box counts so if you’d like to take part in the initiative and bring a little bit of magic to what can be a pretty miserable day for these kids, you’re welcome to drop off as few or as many selection boxes any of the Hannells branches in Derby.
As the Doorways Derby motto goes, “Be Somebody That Makes Everybody Feel Like A Somebody”
So, a huge thank you to Doorways Derby for helping to make this happen and especially to the businesses and people below that have all contributed towards such a worthy cause:
For more information on Doorways Derby, you can visit their website >>HERE<<
Hannells – A Moving Experience…
