Over £5k raised from our festive fundraising activity

Almost £6,000 has been raised through our fundraising activity over the 20223/23 festive period, and the total is still rising!

Businesses, community groups and individuals in Solihull have made donations, joined in fundraising activity and provided sponsorship to help older and vulnerable Solihull residents this winter and beyond.

Retirement home developer, McCarthy Stone generously offered their new Wheatley Place development in Shirley as a venue for the our Christmas lunches for lonely or isolated older people. Drinks at the events were sponsored by Bluebird Care Solihull and care support service, CareHandle made a contribution towards the entertainment.

Every guest at the lunches, as well as clients of our other services, received a Christmas gift, thanks to local organisations collecting them on our behalf. Over 500 gifts were donated in total via Birmingham Business Park, Home Instead Solihull, National Grid, Wadsworths Solicitors, Open Study College, Alderbrook School, Barchester Healthcare and Solihull St Alphege Rotary Club.

Our Fundraising team visited Christmas Fayres at Birmingham Business Park, Claridge Place Care Home and Blossomfield Rose Care Home where they sold Christmas cards, gifts and other items. Sales from Christmas cards sold at the fayres and to our other supporters totalled £302.

The Fundraising team and volunteers also joined Shirley Lions’ Father Christmas, collecting donations around the streets of Shirley on two evenings in December. £500 was raised for Age UK Solihull from the two evenings.

We held two carol singing events at Solihull Retail Park with local choirs, Sing Solihull and Everybody Sings. Singers and volunteers held collecting buckets, and £288 was raised from the two events.

The Rotary Club of Knowle & Dorridge generously purchased £1,600 worth of heaters and electric blankets for the Solihull Winter Warmth campaign which Age UK Solihull delivers to support Solihull households who are at risk during the winter months.

52 chocolate bouquets, created by Rajneet Sembi of Starlight Hampers, were raffled off by various companies, groups and individuals. Almost £900 profit has been raised so far, with more funds still to come in.

Our Christmas Raffle raised a record £1,257. Prizes were donated by 12 businesses including Adlington Farm, Crowne Plaza Solihull, Chiltern Railways, Snowdome, John Lewis Solihull, Asda and Tesco.

Finally, general donations from generous supporters totalled over £1,000 during the festive period.

Our Digital Marketing and Fundraising Manager, Rebecca Jacob, says, “We have been blown away by what has been achieved with the support of the Solihull community over the festive period. Many older and vulnerable Solihull residents are currently struggling with loneliness, isolation and the rising cost of living, and we are so grateful to the local businesses, community groups and individuals who have helped raise an incredible amount to help those who need us during this tough winter and beyond. Thank you to everyone who had any involvement with our festive fundraising activities!”