Firms urged to donate cost of cancelled Christmas parties to charity

A campaign has launched asking firms to donate to charity the cost of staging Christmas office parties, which have been cancelled due to Covid-19.

The Xmas Party Heroes campaign has been launched by property firm Landmark Group and branding agency WilsonCooke.

So far more than £500,000 of pledges have already been received through the campaign.

Organisers stress that Xmas Party Heroes is not a charity itself but a way to encourage firms to donate unspent party and entertaining budgets to good causes. It does not take donations itself but is wants firms to donate the value of Xmas parties to the charity of their choice.

The campaign is also encouraging people to pay their donation via its mobile fundraising partner Thinking of You.

Tens of millions in budgets for business #Xmas Parties are going unspent, whilst charities are more in need than ever. Our idea - give it to #charity
£500,000+ of pledges already received
Please retweet using #XmasPartyHeroes
Visit https://t.co/OLX0BZRShU and #JoinInHelpOut pic.twitter.com/t6e6F5oxzU
— Xmas Party Heroes (@XmasPartyHeroes) November 7, 2020

The campaign has launched online and will be showing a running total of Christmas party budget cash that has been donated. This includes those who wish to keep their donation anonymous and other donors who are happy to be named. Firms that that have donated so far and been named on the website include Seddon, Timpson, Urban Splash and Barratt Developments.

“We can’t have an Xmas Party, and it didn’t feel fair to just retain the funds as charities are more in need than ever,” said Landmark Group chief executive Mark Hawthorn.

“So we will simply give the funds (and more) to charity”

Timpson chief executive James Timpson added: “This is a great idea for companies to help others when they can’t celebrate Xmas with their colleagues. I’m amazed it’s not been thought of before.”