The best twenty quid we ever spent

You may remember last year, we turned our backs on the agency Christmas card. We decided the money could be put to better use.

This is how it works – we take the budget that would have been spent on the usual agency Christmas card and split it up. Every one of the Born + Raised crew ends up with £20 and a simple brief – use it to spread as much festive joy as possible.

Everyone came up with some brilliant ideas and we wanted to share their lovely, and sometimes personal stories. Here’s what we got up to.

Animal magic

Charlotte, Helen and Nicola donated to Mill House Animal Sanctuary in Sheffield, who issued an urgent appeal for help to keep their property and provide food and bedding for the animals in their care.

Jennie put hers toward a new guide dog puppy, Buddy, and Ryan bought a sack full of toys and treats for the Sheffield Cats Shelter.

Last year, Steve donated £20 to sponsor Scooby at Sheffield Dog Rescue. This year, he revealed he’s actually been giving £20 every month ever since – the gift that keeps on giving! Thank you Steve.

Bringing joy to the ward

In memory of close family members who have suffered with cancer, Diana and Joanne donated to Weston Park Hospital’s Christmas Appeal. With every donation, they send you a star decoration and Diana sent her star to her sister in Australia. Diana also bought 10 raffle tickets from Breast Cancer Care with a chance of winning £10,000 – if she wins, she’s committed to donating it all back to charity!

Claire, Steve and Tamaris donated their money towards purchasing new decorations for the Sheffield Children’s Hospital cancer ward and Harriet bought decorations for the coronary care ward at Grimsby Hospital – the same ward her Nan spent time on before she passed away last year.

Abbas bought gifts for the staff on the Neurological ward at The Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield.

Random acts of gifting

Andy, Bew and Yvette bought rucksacks, sleeping bags, warm clothes and food for The Rucksack Project, a voluntary movement that supports people sleeping rough or in desperate need through the cold winter months.

Jack bought a gift of warmth through Oxfam, supplying refugees with warm clothes, bedding and snow clearing tools.

Louise purchased gifts for Shelter Sheffield to help a homeless or newly rehomed family in Sheffield. These included a men and women’s body care giftbox/wash bag, a child’s game of ‘Guess Who’ and some colouring felt tips.

Tom donated his £20 to ASSIST:Sheffield to help asylum seekers in the city, Joe donated his £20 to Help for Heroes. Sam donated to Plastic Oceans – he’s also taken their pledge to give up single use plastics.

Tanya and Marianne donated to Snowdrop Project to buy presents for survivors of human trafficking. They’re also volunteering to help them get ready for a Christmas party they host for survivors.

Tamsin bought a bundle of make-up, toiletries and sweet treats and donated them to Give and Makeup who support Refuge and Women’s Aid.

Using our creativity to spread Christmas cheer

Inspired by The Lonely Bouquet, Chloe bought flowers, foliage and ribbon to make five Christmas bouquets. She left them in busy areas of Sheffield city centre for people to pick up and take home or pass on, which they did!

Kirsty made her budget stretch much further by using it to buy materials for making Christmas stockings. She sold them for £6 each in an effort to double her money. She succeeded, and donated the money to Cathedral Archer Project in Sheffield.

Merry Christmas from Born + Raised

We’d like to thank all our brilliant clients, suppliers and friends for making this such a fantastic year here at Born + Raised. We really couldn’t have done it without you. We wish you and yours a very merry Christmas and a happy new year filled with nothing but happiness.

Hope you look forward to not getting a Christmas card from us again next year!