Sometimes a brief comes along that you just can’t say no to. And when Action for Children came to us asking for an idea that would help raise awareness of their campaign to improve the lives of kids across the UK we clearly said “yes” in huge style.
Which is how we came to find ourselves helping the children’s charity launch the UK’s first “Secret Santa’s Giving Grotto,” a grotto experience with a twist in that children gave a gift rather than received one.
The magical grotto opened at the very end of November for a two-day event that focused on encouraging the UK’s generosity and kindness in the run-up to the Christmas season. Designed as an antidote to the busiest consumer spending time of year to encourage members of the public to put “giving” at the heart of the festive period and was a reminder of an old adage that sometimes it is better to give than to receive.
Our story was accompanied by new research revealing the generous spirit of children and young people aged between as two-thirds of children said they would be willing to donate one of their own Christmas presents to a child or young person they knew wasn’t going to receive any presents at all.
Hence, unlike a traditional grotto, young visitors stepped into the role of a Secret Santa themselves, selecting a gift that could help a vulnerable child.
Once inside, children were amazed by Santa’s workshop, filled with toys – each representing something that vulnerable children may not receive at Christmas, like a teddy bear, a hot meal or warm clothes. The parent or carer then made a donation, to help support the vital work Action for Children does all year round.
The campaign was featured in a heartwarming two minute segment in ITV News London which enabled the charity to land its message during the peak of the run-up to Christmas. With pieces across titles including Time Out, OK!, Daily Mail Online, Daily Mirror, and The Sun (to name a few) the whole thing has been a campaign that we’re proud to have been involved with.
