Newspapers Launch Christmas Campaigns
Local and national newspapers across the UK are encouraging readers to support charitable causes and local campaigns over Christmas.
The Manchester Evening News is supporting local children’s charity Wood Street Mission this year and is encouraging readers to donate new toys and gifts.
This year, the Guardian and Observer charity appeal is partnered with organisations that support young people whose lives have been impacted by Covid-19. They are calling on readers to donate to UK Youth, Young Minds and the Child Poverty Action Group.
Robbie Williams launched his Christmas single in his hometown newspaper The Stoke Sentinel. The advert featured the phrase “Can’t Stop Christmas” and “why oh why are we all waiting” accompanied by the initials ‘RW’.
So has @robbiewilliams just quietly announced the release of his new song #cantstopchristmas with an ad in his hometown paper the Sentinel today? pic.twitter.com/WxXQUKqSRi
— StokeonTrentLive (@Sotlive) November 19, 2020
The Daily Mirror are raising funds for Save the Children UK this year, so the charity can buy gifts for vulnerable children and offer Christmas meals to disadvantaged families.
The East Kilbride News has changed its usual Christmas toy appeal this year due to Covid-19. They are instead calling on readers to support small, independent businesses.
Join us in supporting local and helping to invest in our future!https://t.co/JO2GCq2185
— EK News (@EKilbrideNews) November 25, 2020
The Times and Sunday Times have joined forces to appeal to readers to donate to three Christmas charities. The first being FareShare, which tackles hunger and food waste in Britain. Their second charity is Sported, which uses the power of sport to help young people to overcome challenges ranging from mental health struggles and disability to exclusion from school, crime, racism and physical inactivity. The third charity is Tusk, which protects endangered species across Africa.
The Portsmouth News are hoping to recruit 100 people for it’s ‘Christmas Calls’ campaign, which is in partnership with Age UK. The campaign will pair readers up with someone who is facing Christmas Day and the festive season alone. The editor, Mark Waldron, was the first volunteer to sign up for the campaign.
Today we want to find 100 people to bring a smile to a lonely person in the #Portsmouth area this Christmas. I’ve signed up – so that’s 99! We’re asking volunteers to help Age UK by paying for the DBS checks – the only other cost is a little of your time https://t.co/x2w2HeMrLn
— Mark Waldron (@pn_mark_waldron) November 16, 2020
The Telegraph have raised more than £124,000 so far for their annual Christmas charity phone-in. Editors, columnists, cartoonists and journalists spent four hours taking 881 calls, helping to smash last year’s figure of £101,000. The charities supported are Refuge, Carers UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Cruse Bereavement Care.
The Evening Standard is running a Christmas auction encouraging readers to bid on hampers and gifts, with all proceeds raised contributing to their Food for London Now appeal.