Last week Mark announced that instead of our usual GC Christmas party, we are all invited to clear our diaries on Friday 18 December from 10am-2pm to allow for virtual Christmas celebrations to take place simultaneously across the Group. If Friday is your non-working day, as long as it’s convenient for you, please speak to your manager about moving your non-working day next week so you can take part.
The day will start with a couple of events for the whole Group to come together virtually before breaking off for individual team celebrations.
- 10:00-10:30 am – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and competition winners
We would like to spark some Christmas competitiveness and here’s how you can get involved:
- Best virtual team picture – send in a picture of the team to be crowned the most creative team in GC – so on your Team calls this week, have your screen shot at the ready!
- Most festive workplace – we may not be together in the office but that doesn’t stop you from putting up the Christmas decorations, send us a picture of your festive workspace.
- Best dressed at Christmas – after all Christmas is all about family and children, send us a picture of your family, pet or children dressed for the season.
- Most giving colleague – you can put yourself forward or nominate a colleague, we want to know who has been the most giving this year. Whether that’s through volunteering or random acts of kindness.
- Decembeard – those that took part in movember may have a head start with this, if you are growing a beard this December to help raise money for bowel cancer we want to see how they’re shaping up. But we’re not just looking for real beards, feel free to be creative. Afterall, it’s the only time of the year you can get away with dressing up as Santa.
Please send your contributions through before Wednesday 16 December, to have a chance to win a Christmas Hamper supporting local businesses and a small donation to Manchester Food Bank. For the team picture competition, we will donate £100 to a charity of your choice.
- 10:30-11:30 am – GC’s Big Fat Christmas Quiz of the Year: get your teams together and join in to win
Create a team (4 - 6 people), give yourself a great name, nominate a team captain and register by emailing the Social Committee by Thursday 17 December.
If you would like to get involved in helping with the quiz or competitions, please get in touch.
- 11:30am-2:00pm – Team celebrations. If you’re looking for ideas, take a look at these.
Please send your favourite festive song to us so that we can create a GC Christmas playlist to share with you.
It will be great to see you all in your festive wear on Friday 18 December but it is also National Christmas Jumper Day this Friday (11 December) so feel free to join in this as well. It doesn't matter where you are – on Christmas Jumper Day all you need to do is get your silliest jumper out and give £2 to Save the Children.
Other festive activities for you to get involved in…
Wood Street Mission Christmas Appeal 2020 – both Marketing Manchester and MIDAS are supporting the Wood Street Mission Christmas who are asking people to purchase new, unwrapped toys and gifts that the mission can give to children aged between 0-14 across Manchester and Salford. To make it easier this year, the gifts will be purchased via an Amazon wishlist and should be donated before Monday 14 December. If you would like to get involved and support the mission please contact Richard Fowler.
Mummy’s star charity – Joanne Mills, in GC Education and Skills, has supported Mummy’s Star since they helped her personally when diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer six years ago when pregnant. Have your tissues at the ready - you can watch this video, which features Joanne and her daughter, to find out more about the charity. For Christmas this year, Mummy’s Star have come up with different ways that teams can support them including Secret Santa - you buy a gift for one of the mums they are supporting using their Amazon wish list. For more information on how to get involved, please contact Joanne.
Coming into Lee House before Christmas? – We’re collecting donations for the Manchester Central Foodbank and Barnabus Manchester Christmas appeals. Donations boxes are on the ground floor in Lee House if you are going into this office or you can get in touch with Claire. Please donate before Friday 18 December and here is a list of items being collected.
Hope this helps you all get into the festive spirit,
GC Social Committee