Member Article

Castlegate Launches ‘Cup Of Festive Kindness’

Stockton’s award-winning shopping centre has launched a ’Cup of Festive Kindness’ community campaign which aims to benefit older people in the area, who are often isolated and less mobile members of the community.

Organised by Castlegate Shopping Centre’s ‘Hampers from the Heart’, which is a community initiative, the shopping centre is appealing for public and private partnerships and agencies to support ‘Cup of Festive Kindness’ by taking part in a vintage tea party or to support the Christmas Food Hamper appeal by making a food donation in the centre.

Acting Centre Manager Tracey Surtees comments: “The aim of the ‘Cup of Festive Kindness’ is to bring together the hearts and minds of local people to support their elderly neighbours through acts of kindness at Christmas. Whilst there are many elderly people in the Stockton area, many are young at heart and we want to celebrate this within our community.”

The campaign will see a Christmas vintage-feel tea dance on Tuesday 13th December with food and live entertainment. Tracey added: “We are aiming to reach out to people who may well be caring for an elderly person to contact us and join in the fun.

“‘Hampers from the Heart’ is at the centre of the community and will bring young and old together on this day to share a ‘cup of kindness’ during the festive season, over tea and cake.”

The Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees, Councillor Ken Dixon, said: “We are lucky to have such a strong community spirit across Stockton Borough and I call on people to get behind this campaign and show the spirit of giving and care at this special time of year.”

Castlegate will give back a ‘Cup of Festive Kindness to shoppers’ making food donations at the centre’s collection point located near B&M.

Starting from Saturday 1st October through to Saturday 17th December, the food collection will be available every day for shoppers to donate items. On Wednesday’s and Saturday’s from 10am til 3pm when shoppers’ are seen by the promotional representative donating a food item, the centre in return will reward the customer with a voucher to redeem a regular tea or coffee at Greggs, Café Express or The Stottie Company, FREE of charge.

Both Maureen Hiles of the Hardwick Partnership and Jill Coyle of Billingham and Stockton Food Bank collectively added: “ The Hardwick Partnership and Billingham and Stockton Food Bank, with our elderly community are very grateful to Castlegate’s Cup of Festive Kindness – it’s a great metaphor to take one small action this Christmas for someone else.

“Christmas is an expensive and busy time of year and we appeal to folk to lend some support to the event or donate what you can, however small to the Food Hamper appeal in the knowledge an act of kindness is helping others in our community”.

Goods in Kind

The centre is appealing for goods in kind for the Christmas Afternoon Tea Dance, on Tuesday 13th December. Items wanted include prizes for the raffle and Christmas bingo, cakes, sandwiches, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and party food in general. The centre also is appealing for entertainers i.e. talented local singers and musicians who can help get the party in full swing, with songs and music from yesteryear.

The shopping centre is asking for people to help spread the word via social media and help promote Castlegate’s ‘Cup of Festive Kindness’ so that as many elderly people who wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to go out and meet people in the wider Stockton area can benefit.

If you, your business, friends or family would like to take part, register with Max Freer max@creativebusinesscollaboration.co.uk 01642 723787or 07712 488943.

Castlegate holds two North East Business Awards for ‘Heart of the Community’, a Gold CIPR Award and were shortlist finalists at the Purple Apple Awards in recognition of their CRM community relations marketing.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Chantal Taylor .