Morrisons to recruit up to 3,000 Christmas staff

Morrisons has announced it's seeking up to 3,000 extra colleagues to work in its stores, food manufacturing sites and logistics operations allover the country to help meet increased demand over the busy Christmas period. 

The wide range of roles including customer assistants, home delivery drivers and manufacturing and warehouse operatives offer a range of flexible working patterns.  

With no prior experience necessary for most roles, Morrisons is seeking applicants to join their team who are friendly and want to help give their customers the best experience during this special time of year. In previous years, many temporary colleagues have gone on to find permanent positions within Morrisons.

All new colleagues will benefit from a 15% staff discount card as well as a 10% discount card for a friend or family member. 

Clare Grainger, Group People Director at Morrisons, said: “As Morrisons gears up for the festive rush, we’re looking for up to 3,000 additional colleagues to join our talented teams.  

"We are looking forward to welcoming these new colleagues who will have a key role in creating and delivering products to make our customers celebrations special. 

"There are lots of opportunities all across the UK to join us with both temporary and permanent roles in our stores, manufacturing and logistics sites.”

To apply please visit: https://www.morrisons.jobs

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Future Foodmakers: Morrisons launches its first ever wooden toy range to inspire a new generation of foodmakers

Morrisons is launching its first ever wooden toy range with all the ingredients kids need to create their own Market Street, from bakery to butchery counters. 

The new Ollie & Grace range starts at just £4 and is available exclusively in Morrisons stores all over the country. 

Ever wondered what’s going to stir and bake the childhood imagination of chefs and bakers of the future? Morrisons believes one of the magical ingredients could be their inspiring new range of shop, farm and food related wooden toys.

Morrisons new ‘Ollie & Grace’ wooden toy range is set to inspire a new generation of foodmakers. And just in time for Christmas present shopping, the fun and collectible set will enable kids to spend endless hours role-playing at home while learning about the journey of food from farm to fork.

The new range, which is a first from Morrisons, is designed to develop creativity and spark the imagination of young children whilst they are ‘playing shop’, with prices starting from a very modest  £4. 

The exclusive set includes miniatures of Morrisons iconic Market Street setting (a recreation of the origins of Morrisons from a humble market stall, alongside a mini wooden Morrisons Shopping Trolley (£15), Delivery Van (£4), Tractor (£4) and a Tabletop Checkout Till (£25).

Capturing Morrisons Market Street, the Mini Market Street Bakery Set (£25) offers little ones the opportunity to re-create their very own Market Street moments, with a must-have Morrisons apron and hat. 

The Bakery Set offers interchangeable parts so mini Morrisons enthusiasts can enjoy playing with all the Market Street counters including a Butcher (£10), Fishmonger (£10), Deli (£10) and Oven Fresh (£10) set.

Amy Crowther, who has the very enviable job of Buying Manager at Morrisons, said: “We’ve absolutely loved bringing this range to life for our mini food-makers of the future. Our new Ollie & Grace wooden toy range is a gift that promises hours of fun, while also encouraging creativity and curiosity.”

The new Ollie & Grace range is available in-store at Morrisons now, customers need to be quick, as when it’s gone, it’s gone! 

That's Christmas believes these will make excellent Christmas gifts for children who are inventive and who might need a bit of a break from iPads, 'phones and the like!

www.morrisons.com

'Twas the Night Before Christmas: A Modern Remix

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the flat,

Not a creature was stirring, not even the cat.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled, all snug in their beds,

With iPads and phones tucked under their heads.

And Mum in her hoodie, and I in my cap,

Had just settled in for a quick winter nap.

When out on the street, there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

To the window I flew, just a bit under-dressed,

Peeked out through the blinds, feeling far from impressed.

The streetlights reflected on fresh-fallen snow,

And I squinted to see what was making the glow.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But an electric sleigh, slick and eco-sincere.

With a driver so lively, his cheeks all aglow,

I knew in a flash it must be St. Joe.

Faster than e-scooters, his eight drones they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the flats, to the edge of the wall,

Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"

So up to the rooftops, the drones they did zoom,

With the sleigh full of gifts and St. Joe with a boom.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard from the roof

The hum of the engines, so quiet and smooth.

As I drew in my head and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Joe came in with a bound.

Dressed in tech fleece and boots, all ready to go,

With a sleek Christmas jumper in crimson and snow.

A bundle of gadgets he had flung on his back,

From VR to laptops, the latest tech stack.

His eyes, how they twinkled, his smile so merry,

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry.

He had a kind face and a compacted belly

That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

With a wink in his eye and a wave of his hand,

He unpacked all the gifts, precisely as planned.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his task,

Leaving gifts everywhere, just like we’d asked.

Then tapping his watch and a nod to the drones,

He rose up the chimney, as light as a phone.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his drones gave a shout,

And away they all flew with a whir and a clout.

But I heard him exclaim, as they faded from sight,

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Larchfield Estate's Christmas Fair will be held on 4th and 5th November

On 4th and 5th November Lisburn's Larchfield Estate will again host Christmas in the Barn, the popular annual event organised by Lucinda Kinnaird, that brings people from miles around to purchase beautiful crafts produced by local artisans, and which every year also raises funds for charities bringing benefit to people in Northern Ireland. 

This year their chosen charity is drug education charity the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs (DSM) Foundation, and the money raised by the fair will enable the charity to fund a new production of their powerful commissioned verbatim play, ‘I Love You, Mum – I Promise I Won’t Die’ by Mark Wheeller, which will tour schools across Northern Ireland for two weeks in Spring 2025. 

This verbatim play tells the true story of the joyful life and tragic death from MDMA of sixteen-year-old Dan Spargo-Mabbs, whose loss left his parents with a passionate commitment to prevent any harm happening to anyone else’s child, and led them to start a drug education charity in his name. Ten years on they are now well established across England, growing rapidly and successfully across Scotland, but not yet working in Northern Ireland. This year’s Christmas in the Barn intends to change this.

The DSM Foundation has commissioned Ballymena and Coleraine-based educational theatre company, Ever Unique Productions, to create a new production for Northern Ireland schools, based on the highly successful production their two youth theatres performed in 2023. The play had such a profound impact on their young cast members, as well as their audiences, that Ever Unique Productions co-founders and co-directors Hannah Reilly and Martina McAfee, were keen to bring it to more young people in Northern Ireland.

All of this is being promoted and supported by Sandra Larmour from County Armagh, whose daughter Jeni sadly died when she was 18 on her first day at Newcastle University having taken ketamine.

Sandra has been working closely with Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, Director and Founder of the DSM Foundation and Dan’s mum, as fellow bereaved mums both determined to prevent the harm that happened to their own children happening to anyone else’s. They have engaged the support of PCSPs across the country, and other public bodies.

Also attending Christmas in the Barn, to speak with Fiona and Sandra and find out more about their stories, hopes and plans, will be Minister for Education Paul Givan of the DUP, and Michelle Guy of the Alliance Party, both MLAs for Lagan Valley.

Sandra Larmour, mum to Jeni Larmour, said: "Whilst I will never condone drug use, I fully support and endorse this important work that Fiona and her team are doing in educating and supporting school children giving them insight and knowledge that can only be of benefit to them in making future choices."

Sarah Mackie, co-owner of the Larchfield Estate, said: "As parents we feel the need to equip our children with the knowledge to make informed decisions in the life choices they'll make as they grow up. When I came across Fiona’s book ‘I Wish I'd Known', the tragedy of Dan's death resonated and we hope funds raised by the 2024 Larchfield Christmas Fair will raise awareness of the sadly essential need for drugs education in schools in Northern Ireland, and springboard funding to be able to deliver this to help protect children across the region."

Martina McAfee, Ever Unique Productions co-founder and co-director said: “Getting to perform the Irish premier of the play was something our young people welcomed with open arms. They truly became invested in telling Dan’s story. Additionally, all the drug education workshops we did around the play inspired them to be more open and honest with their peers and parents about the topic of drugs.

"We knew as soon as our project was over that we weren’t ready to finish shouting about Dan. He had found a place to live in our hearts and he wasn’t going to be leaving anytime soon. We knew this story wasn't just one that needed to be heard by our young people but indeed, all young people across Northern Ireland.”

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs OBE, DSM Foundation Director, Founder and Dan’s mum said: “We’re so excited to have this opportunity to bring this new production of our play to schools across Northern Ireland, and so heartened by the warm response we’ve received as we explore the potential for our wider drug education programme to support the work going on to equip young people in Northern Ireland to manage decisions about drugs and alcohol more safely. Sandra and I stand together as two mums who share the lived experience of that going badly wrong for our children, determined to do what we can to protect others better.”

Christmas in the Barn takes place Monday 4th November 10am – 8pm, Tuesday 5th November 10am – 5pm. 

The fair's open to all, set within the lovely Estate of Larchfield (by kind permission of Gavin and Sarah Mackie) and all in aid of charity. The organiser Lucinda Kinnaird is really excited that proceeds this year will be funding the first productions in Northern Ireland schools by DSM Foundation. The DSM Foundation team will be in attendance, and Fiona Spargo-Mabbs welcomes visitors to come and meet her at the DSM Foundation stand in the Piggery.

DSM Foundation/ Ever Unique Productions ‘I Love You, Mum’ NI tour dates: Monday 24th February to Friday 7th March 2025

Showcase performance: Tuesday 4th March 2025 Portadown Town Hall (afternoon – times tbc)

For more information about the DSM Foundation, go to https://www.dsmfoundation.org.uk.

larchfieldestate.co.uk

The Magic of Christmas Shopping in Medieval Market Towns Like Shrewsbury and York

There’s something undeniably enchanting about the festive season in the UK, and nowhere captures its magic quite like the winding streets and historic buildings of medieval market towns such as Shrewsbury, York, Chester, and Canterbury. 

These towns, with their rich histories and charming architecture, become all the more captivating as Christmas draws near. Picture stepping back in time, wandering cobbled lanes beneath fairy lights, with the smell of mulled wine and roasting chestnuts lingering in the air. 

Christmas shopping in these storied locales is about more than just ticking items off your list—it’s an experience, a journey into a world that feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

A Journey Through Time

In towns like York and Shrewsbury, history is woven into every stone and timber. Here, your Christmas shopping trip becomes a journey through centuries. Many of the buildings have stood since medieval times, providing a unique backdrop as you peruse independent shops, cosy cafes, and bustling market stalls. From the narrow “Shambles” in York, which dates back to the 14th century, to the Tudor architecture of Shrewsbury’s town centre, there’s an authenticity that lends a special kind of magic to these destinations.

Shopping here doesn’t just mean big brands and modern stores (though you’ll find a few, of course). Instead, the market town experience is about discovering small, independent shops with their own distinct character and an array of unique offerings. Artisan crafts, hand-blown glass ornaments, intricately carved nutcrackers, and local delicacies are just a few of the treasures that await.

Christmas Markets: A Feast for the Senses

One of the highlights of visiting medieval towns at Christmas is undoubtedly the markets. Shrewsbury’s Christmas market, for instance, lines the town’s streets with festive stalls selling everything from artisanal cheeses to handmade candles. York’s St Nicholas Fair is another must-visit, where you can lose yourself among cosy wooden chalets offering gifts, decorations, and seasonal foods.

Wandering through these markets is a feast for the senses. The aroma of hot mulled cider, sweet roasted almonds, and spiced gingerbread fills the air, while carollers and local choirs sing traditional songs that echo off the centuries-old walls. These aren’t just markets—they’re experiences, capturing the essence of a Dickensian Christmas with an authenticity that modern shopping centres can only dream of recreating.

Unique Finds and Artisan Gifts

For those in search of truly unique presents, these towns offer an array of options you won’t find in big-box stores. Local artists, potters, bakers, and craft makers come out to showcase their wares, meaning each stall often has a story behind it. Whether it’s a handmade leather notebook, a woollen scarf dyed with natural colours, or a piece of bespoke jewellery, these towns make it easy to find thoughtful gifts for your loved ones.

And it’s not just about the gifts themselves; it’s about how they’re presented. In many of these towns, shopkeepers take pride in the tradition of beautiful wrapping, often with simple brown paper, twine, and festive sprigs of holly. 

There’s a sense of care and personal touch, something that’s increasingly rare in today’s world of online shopping.

Cosy Pubs and Warming Winter Treats

Christmas shopping isn’t complete without a few indulgent pitstops, and medieval market towns are more than happy to oblige. After a few hours of browsing, you can rest and recharge at one of the many historic pubs and cafes. 

These spots, often complete with fireplaces, low ceilings, and wooden beams, offer a warm retreat from the winter chill.

In Shrewsbury, The Loggerheads and The Three Fishes pubs and the Henry Tudor are fantastic spots to relax and sip a hot mulled wine, while York’s old-world inns, like The Golden Fleece, welcome visitors with the cosiest of atmospheres. Many offer a special seasonal menu featuring hearty pies, roasted root vegetables, and Christmas puddings, bringing warmth and comfort to an already enchanting day.

Illuminations and Festive Lights

As evening falls, the towns take on an even more magical quality. Twinkling lights adorn the streets, illuminating the historic architecture and casting a warm glow over the cobbles. Many medieval towns host light displays and seasonal events that add an extra layer of festivity to the experience.

York’s Christmas lights, for example, have become a cherished tradition, illuminating its old stone walls, medieval towers, and half-timbered shops. Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park hosts an annual Christmas light display, transforming the area into a winter wonderland. In both towns, the atmosphere is nothing short of enchanting, providing a beautiful backdrop for an evening stroll to end the day.

A Slower, More Meaningful Shopping Experience

In an age of instant online shopping, these towns offer something special: a slower, more intentional approach to Christmas shopping. Here, you’re invited to pause, to wander, to experience the season in all its glory. There’s time to speak with shopkeepers, to enjoy the surroundings, and to appreciate the craftsmanship of each item you pick up. Shopping in medieval market towns is a reminder that the festive season is about more than just presents—it’s about connection, tradition, and a little bit of Christmas magic.

As you plan your holiday shopping, consider taking a day (or two) to explore a medieval town like Shrewsbury or York. You’ll come away with beautiful, unique gifts and an experience that goes far beyond the ordinary, capturing the spirit of Christmas as it was meant to be enjoyed.

Don't forget these market towns also host Christmas and artisan markets throughout the festive season.

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