Dunelm has launched a new Christmas Tree Tag Community Service at stores all across the UK with the aim of “delivering joy” this festive season.
The community group-ran campaign sees branches of the high street homeware chain install Christmas trees decorated with gift tags which feature details of some of the local community’s most vulnerable and lonely people in care homes, primary schools and refuges.
Shoppers can then take a gift tag, purchase a gift / make a shoebox for that person, and help “deliver joy”.
People up and down the country have been taking to social media to spread the word of the campaign and encourage others to head to their local Dunelm store in support of the worthy cause.
The campaign is already running at a number of local stores and will continue in the lead up to Christmas
Apparently @DunelmUK stores have a Christmas tree with tags on showing the names of all the people in care homes who have no one and an indication of what they would like for Christmas. You take a tag, buy the item and hand it over at the checkout. ❤️🌲
If you pass a Dunelm in the next few weeks please go in and grab a card off the tree. A group of care home residents have wrote what they like in the hope to receive a gift this Christmas. A simple £5 gift can make someone’s Christmas 🥺💗 pic.twitter.com/aU2y6ferHh
Although the concept of taking tags off a tree can be found at Dunelm stores nationwide, ways to “deliver joy this Christmas” appear to be differing from branch to branch.
Annalise Baker – Staff Member at Dunelm UK – said in a local community group: “This year we are doing a campaign called ‘delivering joy’. We have teamed up with local schools and care homes and others to deliver some joy to the vulnerable people who may not see anyone over Christmas or receive much.
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“We are asking local people to pop into store and take a tag off our tree and fill a shoe box with some gifts.
Dunelm UK / IYA
She continued: “We can’t wait to help spread some joy this Christmas and to help the community. As a business we thought in a time where there is so much uncertainty and worry for people and their families, we thought this was a great way to bring people together in our community’s to help each other out.
“We think it’s so important to make sure that everyone has something to look forward to and make them smile over the Christmas period, especially the vulnerable members of the community that may don’t get chance to see a loved one over the next few months due to COVID-19.”
Apparently every Dunelm store has a Christmas tree with tags on showing the names of all the people in care homes who have no one and an indication of what they would like for Christmas. You take a tag, buy the item and hand it over at the checkout.
Abbie Higham – Community Champion for Dunelm – added: “We’re asking our community group to come into stores and donate gifts for the person they’ve chosen on the label and the idea is just to support our local community.
“It’s going to be a hard Christmas for people if they’re struggling so we want to make sure they’re going to get a gift this year, at least something.”
“We’d like to reach as many people as possible.”
Shoppers keen to take part in the campaign are are encouraged to check how their local Dunelm store is planning to “deliver joy” this year, so if you are planning on heading down to your nearest branch, its advisable to check the opening times ahead of your visit.
Classic FM will be back playing calming music for anxious pets this Bonfire Night
Emily Sergeant
Classic FM will be back playing calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks season.
Bonfire Night may be loved by us humans for the spectacular firework displays and all the festive-themed activities that come along with it… but sadly, the November holiday isn’t quite so fun for our four-legged friends.
Loud bangs, flashing lights, and unpleasant strong smell of spent explosives are just some of the reasons why fireworks are frightening to pets.
Not only that, but with multiple bangs occurring from numerous displays across this time of year, pets are rarely able to pinpoint when and where the booming explosions are coming from, therefore creating even more anxiety around this time of year.
Classic FM will play calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks / Credit: DESIGNECOLOGIST (via Unsplash)
Which is why, for the ninth year running now, Classic FM is once again teaming up with the RSPCA for two Pet Classics programmes packed with ‘the most soothing and comforting classical music’.
The music has been handpicked to help calm and settle any anxious pets.
A survey by the RSPCA revealed that almost two-thirds (63%) of animal owners reported their pet was distressed during fireworks season, and that playing relaxing music was the most common way (36%) to help calm or prepare their animal.
Presenters Dan Walker, Aled Jones, and Dawn O’Porter will each host a night of the specially created programme to help keep the nation’s pets calm through the whizzes and bangs.
Dan will present the first programme on Bonfire Night itself (Thursday 5 November), and then as celebrations continue throughout the weekend, Aled will be on hand to bring some peace to Friday 6 November, and Dawn picks up the baton on Saturday 7 November.
All three Pet Classics programmes will be broadcast from 5pm to 10pm, and you can listen on Classic FM or Global Player available across the UK.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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What is the UK’s national dish? New survey reveals Brits’ pick in landslide victory
Emily Sergeant
If you’ve ever thought to Google the question ‘what is Britain’s national dish?’, then you probably came away thinking it’s chicken tikka masala.
But is that actually the truth? A new survey has disproved the claim, massively.
There’s no denying that chicken tikka masala – an Indian curry that’s actually widely thought to have been created in Britain – is a popular dish that’s loved by many, but despite what many headlines have claimed over the years, a new YouGov survey has revealed it’s not what Brits consider to be the country’s ‘national dish’.
YouGov conducted two online surveys earlier this month, made up of 2,079 and 2,104 adults aged 18+ living in Great Britain.
And, in their own words, Brits chose fish and chips as the country’s national dish, making it the ‘resounding’ winner with 49% of the vote.
What is the UK’s national dish? A new survey has revealed Brits’ pick in a landslide victory / Credit: The Manc Group
With nearly half of the overall vote, this puts fish and chips far ahead of the roast dinner in second place, which only 24% of people picked – including the 6% who made sure to specify a beef roast.
In fact, only 3% of Brits actually name chicken tikka masala as the UK’s national dish, although 52% in the survey did confess that they eat some form of curry at least once a month, so it is still a popular pick regardless.
Fish and chips is by far the most common answer across all generations too, according to the survey (45-50%), with the biggest difference between age groups being that 18-24 year olds are less likely to have nominated roast dinner and more likely to have chosen chicken tikka masala instead.
What do Brits say is the UK’s national dish?
Fish and chips – 49%
Roast dinner – 24%
Chicken tikka masala – 3%
Curry (non-specific) – 2%
Full English breakfast – 2%
Bangers and mash – 1%
Cottage or shepherd’s pie – 1%
Other – 3%
Don’t know – 15%
The survey also showed that, of the three top contenders for the UK’s national dish, roast dinners are the most frequently eaten, as 52% of people said they eat them on a monthly basis – including 16% who do so every week.
Aside from the frequently mentioned dishes, some survey respondents also gave shoutouts to the full English breakfast (2%), bangers and mash (1%), and cottage or shepherd’s pie (1%).
Emily Sergeant -
28th October 2020 
