Bidfood Christmas Gift rewards hospitality heroes across the industry

Winners share advice on how to make the most of working over the festive period

Bidfood has, for the second year running, rewarded the unsung heroes of hospitality through its award-winning Christmas Gift campaign. Between them, the campaign winners – dedicated pub and hotel general managers, hospital chefs and community volunteers – have given up over 60 Christmases at home to ensure the enjoyment of others.     With the number of people dining out on Christmas Day rising 240% in five years¹, it’s understandable that those in hospitality have a very different festive experience to those they are serving. It is therefore no surprise that 93% of hospitality workers accept there is a chance they will have to work Christmas or Boxing Day². Whilst working over the festive period may not be their choice, 44% of those in the hospitality industry revealed they liked working on Christmas or Boxing Day², and this year’s Christmas Gift winners have shared some handy hints and tips to make the time that little bit merrier!

• Stay positive. Negative energy rubs off on your team, so lead by example and keep the morale high!
• Take a moment to enjoy the festive vibes - remember that the hospitality industry is a caring industry, it works to prepare a meal for other people to make them happy. That is what the industry is all about – feeding families and enjoying it as much as they do.
• Make time to sit down with the rest of your team to have a festive feast together at the end of your shift, so that you’ve got something to look forward to.
• Eat well in the run up to Christmas – make sure you and your colleagues are well fed with lots of fruit and vegetables and are also well rested to make sure that you stave off illnesses and keep everyone happy and healthy.

From over 100 nominations, the judging panel of leading industry experts selected five winners across four industry sectors to be treated to a meal to enjoy with family and friends, as well as a Virgin Experience Days voucher as a thank you for their hard work and support. Andy Kemp, Group Sales & Marketing Director at Bidfood, said: “I was so pleased to be running Bidfood’s Christmas Gift for a second year, recognising those who work so hard to make Christmas a special time for all of us. The fact that we chose additional winners speaks volumes about the calibre of entries received. “A huge thank you is in order, not just to the winners and finalists, but all of the entrants whose incredible efforts and generosity certainly doesn’t go unnoticed.”  Speaking about her experience judging this year’s entries, Anne Pierce MBE, Chief Executive, The Springboard Charity & Springboard UK said: “It was an absolute privilege to judge Bidfood’s Christmas Gift again this year, but it was also a challenging and emotional experience with many of the entries quite literally bringing a lump to my throat. “Reading through so many incredible stories of people who give up their Christmas festivities to selflessly give joy to others was truly humbling.  Bidfood’s Christmas Gift is a lovely way to give back to hardworking people who give so much to others at Christmas.” For more information about Bidfood’s Christmas Gift campaign and to hear the winners’ stories, please visit: www.bidfood.co.uk/bidfood-christmas-gift The full list of winners and categories are as follows:

• Care – Leslie Griffiths, Assistant Head Cook, Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Foodie outlets – Jenny Close, General Manager, The Rubbing House
• Accommodation – Adam Msetfi, General Manager, The White Hart
• Charities and other – Rhona and Stewart Boyle, Church Elders, St Nicolas Parish Church and Colin Aldridge, Chairman, East Oxford Community Association

#BidfoodChristmasGift

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¹ Open Table - https://www.verdictfoodservice.com/news/christmas-day-restaurant-dining-rises/ ² Bidfood Christmas Emotive survey