Bristol recruitment firm comes up with a twist on Christmas tradition

Offices across the UK are indulging in the annual tradition of ‘Secret Santa’ but this year, Bristol-based Heat Recruitment have put away the hat full of names in favour of something more meaningful.

Managing Director Steve Preston came up with the idea that instead of exchanging gifts between colleagues, the Heat team should use the money they would collectively spend on gifts to support its chosen charity – the Bristol Children’s Charity.

The charity provided Heat with a list of 60 anonymous profiles for the children in their care, which will be written on labels and placed on a Christmas tree at Heat HQ, in Tower Hill.

The label will include the child’s age and suggested gift ideas.

Staff will randomly select a label hanging from the Christmas tree, head to their nearest toy shop to buy a gift, wrap it, attach the label and place back under the tree, ready for a Bristol Children’s Charity representative to collect and deliver to the child, in time for Christmas.

Steve comments: “It’s crazy how much money gets spent on Secret Santa gifts across the land, generally buying ‘tat’ that turns rapidly into waste, when it could go to helping bring a smile to someone’s face, someone who is possibly worse off than ourselves.

“I hope that everyone will take part and embrace this concept and the goodwill that it brings by giving a gift to a child who will otherwise go without a gift at Christmas – and no-one should go without receiving a gift from Santa, especially when you are a kid.”

Why not try it out at your place of work?

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