This Christmas we’re supporting Wintercomfort: a charity that works with homeless and vulnerably-housed people in Cambridge, the city where our head office is based.
For James Holden, Fundraising Manager at the charity, support from local businesses is crucial: “We’re delighted to have Encore come on board to work alongside us, a company with a similar ethos and ethic as Wintercomfort, as their Cambridge charity for 2025.
On an average day we can have up to 25 rough sleepers needing support in our day centre. Financial support helps them but it also helps our Project Workers. We’re looking forward to collaborating with Encore in many different ways over the next year, beginning with their fabulous efforts raising money at their Christmas raffle.”
Our Christmas raffle is indeed in full swing: our people are busy buying tickets, with all the proceeds going to Wintercomfort. The tally is already exceeding £2,000. Prizes, which have been donated, include lots of great tech gifts and vouchers, and we’re all looking forward to the draw at our team Christmas party.
In Cambridge, we’ve also recently run a foodbank collection – helping to provide essential items and food to those who need it over the Christmas period. And our team have taken part in Christmas Jumper Day, raising over £400 for Save the Children.
Over in our Nottingham offices, the team has been donating toys to a local charity giving Christmas gifts to children in the region living in poverty.
Speaking about the initiative, Tom Hopson, our Regional Director based in Nottingham, explained: “As a team we wanted to support a charity that makes a difference to those who love Christmas magic the most - children and young people. So, when we saw one of our clients co-ordinating a Mission Christmas operation, we were delighted to support it.”
Preim - a Peterborough-based managing agent that’s part of our wider Encore family - has been also looking back at a year of supporting community initiatives - from supporting Remembrance Day commemorations, through to sponsoring local sports teams. The team has donated Christmas trees to several communities they work with, adding some festive cheer and a great spot for community carol services and more.
Heading into 2025…
From our team’s own feedback, we know it matters to them that we give back to the communities we’re a part of. That’s why it’s a central pillar in our people and wellbeing strategy, Encore Life.
We believe that helping others, and being a more giving workplace, is incredibly important to our own wellbeing and that it matters to the people and communities we work with too.[5] [YC6] Initiatives we’ve taken part in throughout the year have included raising £455 for Red Nose Day and several hundred pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support. Members of our team took part in a football tournament too, raising over £850 for Mental Health Charity AndysManClub.
Many of the Encore team have taken part in their own fundraising initiatives as well, which we’ve been proud to support. Their brilliant efforts have raised money for charities including CALM, Lymphoma Action and Parkinson’s UK.
Giving is part of our spirit - at Christmas and every day of the year. As we look forward to 2025, and as we continue our 20th anniversary celebrations over the coming year, we’re looking forward to coming together as a team to support many more causes.
For now, though, we wish those who celebrate a very Merry Christmas, and all who we work with - from residents to clients, contractors to partners - a peaceful, happy festive period.
