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.