Recycle your Christmas tree with Francis House Children's Hospice

The event provides an easy and convenient way for people to donate to their local community.

In an exciting new partnership with JustHelping you can recycle your Christmas tree and support a worthy cause.

Francis House Children’s Hospice will be collecting and recycling Christmas trees in partnership with national charity JustHelping and St Ann’s Hospice. 

Anyone living in Manchester, Stockport, Trafford and Salford can register their Christmas tree for collection up until midnight on January 7.

The trees will then be collected between Thursday, January 11 and Sunday, January 14 by a team of volunteers and recycled at Wythenshawe Park where the chippings will be used in local parks.

For the last ten years, JustHelping and St Ann’s Hospice have run the popular collections which last year raised almost £65,000 for local charities from the collection of 5,000 trees.

With the expansion of the scheme into even more postcode areas, JustHelping invited Francis House Children’s Hospice to join the campaign and the charity is hoping to benefit from the donations made to collect the trees.

Kate Puć, fundraising officer at Francis House Children’s Hospice said: “We're absolutely delighted to be on board this year with the Christmas tree collection and thank JustHelping for asking us to be a part of this campaign. We hope many of our supporters will ask for their tree to be recycled and help raise much needed, vital funding for their local children’s hospice.

“We support families from all the areas participating in the scheme. Every bit of support and each donation helps keep the doors of Francis House open. We're also reaching out to our supporters to help with the collections and for anyone with a van to come forward with offers of help.”

JustHelping supports volunteers, businesses and charities to contribute to their community and the environment. The national Christmas tree collection raises essential funds for hospices and communities through the income raised from donations.

Tom Laverty, development manager at JustHelping said: “JustHelping are delighted to welcome Francis House to the MCR Christmas Tree Collection. The event provides an easy and convenient way for people to donate to their local community and we are excited to be offering more households the opportunity to support both children and adult hospices in Greater Manchester.”

Based in Didsbury, Francis House provides a home from home where the families of children with life-limiting conditions receive professional care, support and friendship. Services include respite care, day care, homecare, sibling support groups, end of life care and symptom control, and emotional support and bereavement support.

Kate said: “Register your tree before the 7th of January to make sure you secure your slot and enjoy your Christmas knowing that you won’t be queuing at the recycling centre to dispose of your tree in the New Year!”

Anyone wishing to find out more about the scheme or to book a collection can visit https://just-helping.org.uk/register-tree

http://www.francishouse.org.uk

Please note that the scheme is also available in other parts of the UK to support other good causes that are local to you.

(Image courtesy of Oleksandr Pidvalnyi of Pixabay)

Asda customers can snap up Christmas veg for the lowest ever price of 15p!

Good news for Christmas dinner veg lovers and bargain spotters! 

Asda has announced customers can bag last minute Christmas veg for the lowest ever price of 15p, as the supermarket reduces the price of key Christmas dinner staples just in time for the big day.

Customers heading to Asda or shopping online to get their last bits for their Christmas dinner, can bag 1kg carrots (usually 60p), 500g sprouts (usually £1), 360g broccoli (usually 75p) and 500g parsnips (usually 65p) for the lowest ever price of 15p each until Tuesday 26th December.

The move, which sees Asda match Aldi and Lidl prices on the shelf, comes after Asda was crowned the lowest-priced major supermarket for premium Christmas food and drink products by trade magazine The Grocer.

The supermarket topped the Grocer’s prestigious festive price comparison survey which tracked the cost of 33 premium Christmas products including turkey and all the trimmings, pigs in blankets and mince pies at Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose.

Asda’s festive basket totalled £154.41 and was £19.48 cheaper than the average basket price across the other supermarkets featured and offered the lowest price on 19 of the 33 festive products featured, including smoked salmon slices, mince pies and pigs in blankets.

Kris Comerford, Asda’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Throughout the year we've focussed on improving the quality of our products while continuing to keep prices in check for our customers. This is especially vital at Christmas when family budgets are under extreme pressure. We're confident our customers can treat themselves and family members to the best quality festive food and drink without having to break the bank when they shop with us at Asda.”

Asda's also urging customers who haven’t already done so, to join the 1.2 million savvy fellow shoppers who've already created vouchers from their Christmas Saver Cashpot on Asda Rewards, before it expires on Sunday 31st December.

Any new customer who signs up for an Asda Rewards account before Monday 25th December will receive a £5 off coupon for their first shop. They then have until Sunday 31st December to complete their second shop to receive an additional £5 in their Cashpot.

www.asda.com

John Lewis Partnership offering Christmas support

For the second year running, the John Lewis Partnership is supporting Care Leavers attending Christmas day lunches, by presenting 3,510 food parcels to continue helping them after Christmas. 

The lunches are run by selfless community volunteers across the country for Care Leavers who would have otherwise been alone at Christmastime, and are coordinated by Lemn Sissay’s Foundation, The Gold From The Stone.

Sarah Dayananda, Sustainability & Ethics Manager, Social Impact at the JLP, said: “We’re thrilled to again be working with The Gold From The Stone Foundation, and the wonderful volunteers who organise Christmas lunches for Care Leavers. Support is needed beyond the ‘big day’, so we hope the Care Leavers feel appreciated and considered in a time of isolation for so many.”

She went on to say: "This year, we’re donating three bespoke food parcels each to 1,170 people, so they'll have some necessary shopping to last them beyond Christmas and into the New Year (plus some treats, too). They’ll contain items like tea, coffee, soup, sweet and savoury biscuits, mince pies, pasta and pasta sauce, chocolate and crisps."

The Foundation, founded by Author, Poet and Broadcaster Lemn Sissay OBE, believes no Care Leaver should feel alone on Christmas day. They help to coordinate communities across the nation making Christmas day special for people who would otherwise be alone.

Lemn Sissay, OBE said, “The Christmas Dinners are for young adults who have been in care who feel alone on Christmas Day. I'm utterlyover the moon Waitrose and the John Lewis Partners are supporting The Christmas Dinners throughout the country. 

"Waitrose are providing incredible Christmas Hampers filled with goodies for the young care leavers to take home after the Christmas Dinner. This support is crucial in winter time. It means the care goes beyond the dinner into the homes of vulnerable young people. 

"It's the tenth year of The Christmas Dinners and your support is a Christmas present in itself. I feel emotional. The Christmas Hampers from Waitrose and John Lewis are immensely important to everyone involved and brings added magic to the day. I know the hampers aren't for me, but as the person who started this enterprise this feels like my first Christmas present.”

A further 600 food parcels will be given to 200 Care Experienced guests at Christmas day lunches hosted by Who Cares? Scotland - one of the John Lewis Partnership’s charity partners, for our Building Happier Futures programme.

http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk

Record demand predicted for no and low drinks this Christmas at Tesco

It's reported shoppers are ready to create record demands for no and low alcohol beer, wines and spirits over Christmas.

That’s the prediction from Tesco after the supermarket saw its strongest ever sales in 2023 with high demand sustained across the entire year.

Demand for no and low alcohol beer at the supermarket this year has soared by over 20%, while sales of no/low wine rose by almost 15% per and demand for alternatives to spirits grew by nearly 10% per.

To give some indication of how strong the thirst for no and low drinks has been throughout this year, during the first three weeks of the June heatwave, demand at Tesco was over 25% higher than it was for the first three weeks of Dry January.

Another massive success has been pop star Kylie Minogue’s 0% Sparkling Rosé which launched in Tesco last year and which has now become the UK’s top selling premium no alcohol wine

As a result, Tesco prepared itself for its strongest ever demand in December and ordered in extra stock.

Tesco says that the main reasons for the no and low alcohol boom are:

New found shopper confidence in the quality of the drinks, often driven by recommendations from family and friends

Greater interest in health and moderation

An increase in product choice

Ease of selection in its stores with all products sitting in their own fixture

Tesco no and low alcohol wine buyer Joe Olding said: “Based on the massive demand throughout the year we're anticipating this festive season to not only be bigger than this year's Dry January, but to be the biggest Christmas ever for no and low drinks.

“A few years ago no and low alcohol drinks might have been a consideration to have on hand for special occasions but, as our latest sales data, shows they’ve become mainstream and are now popular all year round.

“We’ve also made it easier for customers to find no and low alcohol drinks as they all sit alongside each in the same aisle.”

Among the top brands driving the no and low boom are Lucky Saint, Athletic Brewing and Guinness 0% in beer; Gordons 0% Alcohol Free Gin and the Clean Co brand in spirits; and Nozeco, Not Guilty and Kylie 0% Sparkling Rosé in wine.

The rise in demand for Kylie Minogue’s no alcohol wine has been spectacular with demand rocketing throughout the year with one million bottles sold across all UK retailers.

The drink uses a unique filtration process in order to make it less sweet and retain more of the original wine taste but without any of the alcohol.

Kylie Minogue said: “When we launched our 0% Sparkling Rosé last year we knew health and wellbeing was becoming more and more important in people’s lives and so many of us are leaning toward more self-care.”

Drinkaware, an independent UK alcohol education charity which helps people make better choices about their drinking was happy to hear the news.

Karen Tyrell, CEO of the charity Drinkaware said: “It’s good people across Britain are more open to trying no and low alcohol drinks this year. 

“Drinking lower strength and alcohol-free products can be a helpful way for people to moderate their drinking and stay within the low-risk guidelines of 14 units a week. If you are unsure about how much you’re drinking, take our simple Drinking Check on the Drinkaware website."

www.tesco.com

Lidl has top wines for Christmas. At affordable prices

Lidl GB has revealed that it has the bestselling wines across three categories1: Montepulciano, Saint Emilion, Nero D’Avola, with prices starting from just over £5.

New research shows 27% of Brits are opting for high-end labels, but Lidl is redefining expectations. 

With its unwavering commitment to delivering premium wines at refreshingly affordable prices, it’s challenging the conventional belief that superior quality must come at a premium price.

As we near Christmas Day Lidl reveal a surge in demand for its wine as people gear up for festive celebrations. Over the last few months alone, sales of its new world white wines have soared by a fifth, underscoring the rising popularity of wines from non-traditional regions.

And sales of traditionally beloved European red wines have seen an uptick of over 17%, while white wine sales from the same region have experienced an increase of over 5%. Even the sales of European rosé wines have defied seasonal expectations, with a notable rise of over 9%, challenging the perception that rosé is exclusively a summer indulgence.

Richard Bampfield, Lidl GB’s Master of Wine, pointed out: “Here at Lidl we like to think we go beyond selling wine; our points system and tasting notes make the notoriously hard and difficult job of selecting the right wine that much easier. I am particularly excited our Montepulciano, Saint Emilion and Nero d’Avola are the most popular wines in the country in their categories, proving that it's possible to find quality at all price points. And our recent national Châteaux Noir events demonstrated premium quality wines needn't break the bank. From robust reds to crisp whites, not forgetting some award-winning sparkling wines and rosés, Lidl offer wines for every palate and all occasions.”

Lidl’s unique model, from everyday selections to Deluxe bottles, allows its British customers to access their favourite wines at some of the most competitive prices available. The buying teams, strategically stationed all over Europe, including the renowned wine regions of France, Spain, and Italy, collaborate closely with a select number of local suppliers. This meticulous curation ensures wines available at Lidl stores are handpicked by the industry's best.

Recognised for its excellence, Lidl has garnered Bronze and Silver at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in 2023, plus accolades at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards. Its recent finalist position at the 2023 Drinks Retailing Awards solidifies its standing as an industry-recognised leader.

To dispel the misconception quality wine comes with a hefty price tag, Lidl has been hosting a series of pop-up wine tasting events in the dark, known as Chateaux Noir. Led by Master of Wine, Richard Bampfield, thousands of people from across London, Liverpool, and Glasgow had the chance to directly compare Lidl's wines to big-brand competitors.

https://www.lidl.co.uk

Calendars, diaries and more from Danilo

If you want high quality calendars, diaries and more for your Christmas gifting look no further than Danilo.

Everyone who you know in your family and your wider circle of friends is covered! Royal Horticultural Society tie-ins, a Musical Star Wars Calendar, A Liverpool FC boxed set, a Disney Baby's First Year Calendar, Children's Activity Sets, a BBC Frozen Planet II A5 diary and a whole host of TV and a host of  film/movie tie-ins including Barbie, Mrs Brown's boys, Yellowstone, Peppa Pig, Baby Shark and many more besides, including gift wrappers and bags. 

Looking for a more organised life during 2024? Then they have special family organisers, too! Ideal for your cousin or for a spot of self-gifting, perhaps? Gamers or Anime fans you need to buy for? They are covered, too! Also, look out for their greeting cards, music collector's specials and much, much more!

And you'll be able to make your gifting purchases safe in the knowledge that not only are Danilo products absolutely perfect, but that the company is 100% dedicated to making a firm, genuine commitment to prioratising sustainability in all areas of their business operations.

This includes implementing a carbon reduction and offsetting plan, reducing the use of plastics and making certain that, once their products have been finished with, that recycling or reusing them will be much easier. Plus they are also certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and have clear recycling labeling on all of their products. 

Danilo also operates a nifty tree planting programme in partnership with Ecologi, whereby for every £10 spent on their site, they plant a tree. 

So the more gifts you buy from Danilo, the more trees you and they  can plant together. 

You can view the progress of their virtual forest by clicking visiting here https://ecologi.com/danilopromotionsltd

To learn more and find out what you'll want to buy, visit www.danilo.com

Alcohol free Christmas cocktails with Fever-Tree?

43% of consumers now opting for non-alcoholic alternatives. Fever-Tree's new Cocktail Mixers are perfect to shake up your Christmas drinking by helping you swap your favourite cocktail for a mouthwatering mocktail!

Fever-Tree's cocktail mixers are ideal for creating a super easy mocktail, simply by switching out the spirit for a non-alcoholic version. Fever-Tree recommend Everleaf's non-alcoholic spirits range as a perfect pairing!

Jazz up your Christmas and treat yourself to a booze-free Mojito or Margarita to kick start the New Year in a mindful, indulgent way.

The lineup:  

Fever-Tree Classic Mojito Mixer: Fresh Mexican Limes meet Moroccan Mint for a zesty, refreshing twist. Just add non-alcoholic rum and ice for a mojito masterpiece. 

Fever-Tree Classic Margarita Mixer: Packed with fresh Mexican limes, sweet Italian Blood Orange, and a hint of sea salt. Add a non-alcoholic tequila alternative, shake or stir, and enjoy an authentic margarita.  

Available now at Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, and online at Ocado, for just £4.50.

Say goodbye to the hassle of squeezing limes and adding multiple complex ingredients! Just mix, shake and serve!

How to make the perfect mocktail at home:

Simply add ice to a glass.

Pour in 50ml of your chosen non-alcoholic spirit and top it off with Fever-Tree's mixer.

A quick stir, and it's ready to sip and enjoy. Ideal for an evening with friends or a night in front of the telly during the winter nights.

And don't forget, next month is Dry January and you can ramp up you mocktail mixing abilities then.

Still time to get shopping at the UKs Christmas Markets!

There's still time to do your Christmas shopping at the UKs special Christmas markets. In fact, the very useful website Business Name Generator has compiled a list of those that are not only still open for business but that remain trading into the month of January.

No UK Christmas market will remain open for longer than Reading’s, which will continue to operate until as late as January 7th. However these markets are only open for an average of 11 hours per day, compared to the 12 in other cities.

The Scottish capital city of Edinburgh is keeping its stalls open right up until January 6th, keeping any Scottish shoppers with a fondness for festivities feeling very satisfied, indeed.

Glasgow’s Christmas markets will also stay open until after the New Year, officially closing on January 4th. However, Glasgow’s markets only stay open for an average of 9 hours per day, with opening hours varying massively between weekdays and weekends.

Southampton’s festive markets will also stay open until right up to January 2nd, giving shoppers a whole 48 hours after the turn of the New Year - or 8 days after Christmas Day - to keep the festive spirit alive and well.

To learn more visit https://businessnamegenerator.com/the-best-christmas-shopping-cities

Signature Cocktails by Amanda Schuster

Phaidon (Phaidon.com) is pleased to announce the publication of Signature Cocktails, which is a stunning, landmark volume that showcases 200 iconic drinks from around the globe and throughout history. 

What is a signature cocktail? It's a special, bespoke drink that expresses the nature of the time, person, venue, city, or country for which it was originally created. 

This stunning compendium serves not only as a recipe collection but as an unprecedented history of these legendary drinks, too. 

Signature Cocktails spans in excess of 500 years, uniting everything from the classic Mimosa to the Brittany Spears-inspired Hit Me Baby One Mai Tai to create surprising juxtapositions and a fresh overview of the subject.

Curated by New York-based cocktail connoisseur Amanda Schuster - in consultation with regional experts across the globe - Signature Cocktails is a satisfying collection of drinks, all of which are remarkable in their breadth and character. Each entry is accompanied by the name of the creator, place and date of invention, and spirit type, alongside the original recipe and a specially commissioned contemporary image of the drink.

It's in hardback at £29.95, and will be an excellent gift for the professional or amateur mixologist in your life.

Charcuterie trees to baked Cambozola how to throw the perfect Christmas party with Asda

It's officially Christmas party season! Asda shoppers can enjoy the full festive season with unmissable offers on a delicious selection of grazing and party food - tis' the time to be merry after all.

Grazing dishes are perfect for those who want to curate a plate and get creative with their presentation. This year, influencers are crafting charcuterie trees, chalets and wreaths from a selection of snacks, with the hashtag #charcuterietree gaining 27million views on TikTok.

Asda is encouraging their shoppers to get creative this year, with the Build Your Own Festive Antipasti Board. For just £5, shoppers can enjoy a selection of cheeses and salamis, sweet cranberries, apricots and semi-dried tomatoes. The board comes with instructions on how to build your Christmas tree, so shoppers can impress as the host with the most.

Asda’s Build Your Own Festive Grazing Cones (£6) pack includes a selection of pitted green olives and pepper drops, Iberico cheese, semi-dried tomatoes, air-dried meats and baked breadsticks – plus shoppers can turn the box into a cone stand to create a display centrepiece!

The Mezze Grazing Selection (£4) features a Provolone Piccante cheese, amongst a mouth-watering selection of meats. Racking up five-star reviews on Asda.com, the Party Snack Platter (£5) brings the heat with a selection of spicy cheddar cheeses and is a “great snack to have at a party” according to one delighted customer.

With a sweet and delicate prosciutto, rich and garlicky salami and smoky chorizo, the Continental Sharing Selection (£2.95) is perfect for the meat-lovers, whilst the German Style Salami & Cheese Selection (£2.95) features a Beechwood smoked cheese - for a continental taste of Christmas (think Christmas markets!).

Get this party started! The buffet is open...

Mini foods have been trending in recent years, and the novelty hasn't worn off when it comes to miniaturising party favourites.

Asda’s Mini ‘Mac’ Burgers (£5) with cheddar cheese and diced gherkins are served in mini brioche buns and finished with their own take on the famous burger sauce. Serve alongside Mini Hot Dogs (£5), for the ultimate selection of finger food. Sure to make any party less messy, the Mini Cheese & Pepperoni Parcels (£3.50) are packed with delicious mozzarella cheese, diced pepperoni and tomatoes. Rounding up the selection of minis, the vibrant Oriental Money Bags (£2) are filled with 3 different flavours - tangy hoisin mushroom, sweet and sour shredded vegetables and soy and chilli jackfruit.

Add a touch of nostalgia with the Extra Special Lobster and King Prawn Vol Au Vent Selection. Partygoers can choose from Canadian lobster in a rich thermidor sauce, or king prawns in a creamy beurre blanc sauce - both of which are encased in crisp puff pastry.

Guaranteed to be a talking point at any buffet, the Extra Special Brown Butter & Spiced Dark Rum Stuffing Wreath with Brûléed Pigs in Blankets is an eye-catching pork stuffing wreath, made using only British prime pork cuts. Infused with this year’s signature flavour, this stuffing wreath contains notes of rich brown butter and spiced dark rum and has been hand-decorated with their Extra Special Pigs in Blankets.

Make your party extra special with Asda’s specialty cheeses. It is Christmas after all!

A classic cheeseboard is a must-have at any festive gathering. The Extra Special Cheeseboard (£12) is served on a proper slate board with a tasting card and a wine pairing suggestion from Asda’s wine expert for each of the cheeses. Four new cheeses; Vintage Cheddar, Leicester Gold, 16-month Iberico Reserva and a French Mon P’tit Creamy Brie, join last year's favourite; the Vintage Red Fox.

Bring some festive theatre with the Baking Cambozola with Cranberry Glaze. A first-to-market product, it combines a mild creamy blue cheese with a sweet cranberry glaze, made by a top award-winning glaze maker.

Recent stats have revealed cheddar is the UK’s favourite cheese, so customers are set to love the Extra Special Wyke Farms Vintage Cheddar Bake with Caramelised Onion Chutney (£12). Rich and indulgent and topped with a caramelised onion chutney, party hosts can keep this cheese hot and oozing at the table, as it comes with a stand and candle.

Adding a touch of sweet, the Extra Special Camembert & Cranberry Savoury Profiteroles (£5.50) are indulgently filled with a creamy camembert sauce, and topped with a cranberry, cheddar and parsely crumb for a sweet and crunchy finish.

Fill the freezer now!

Pick and mix all your favourites with Asda’s much-loved multibuy offer on frozen products. Fill the freezer, then the table, and let the party begin! Ending on 2 January 2024, shoppers can shop four products and get the cheapest item free of charge.. The offer includes seasonal favourites like Party Cheesy Stars (£2.50), Party Salt and Pepper Prawns (£2.50) and Party Sticky Chicken Skewers (£2.50).

As always – customers are advised to save some room for dessert. A crowd pleaser is the Tempting Trifle Gateau Bar (£3.50), with fluffy layers of sponge, a smooth cream mousse, strawberry sauce and a shower of coloured confetti sprinkles. Kids are set to love the Jingle the Reindeer Ice Cream (£2) – a chocolate and marshmallow ice cream, rippled with a chocolate sauce and topped with red sugar pearls.

www.asda.com