Glass Door and Royal Garden Hotel launch Christmas partnership

Cover photo: Patrick, Lucy and Rachael were presented with a £5,000 cheque for Glass Door 

9 December 2019

Glass Door and the five-star Royal Garden Hotel officially launched their joint festive campaign last week.

This Christmas campaign, which forms part of a two-year partnership, aims to increase awareness of homelessness in London and raise funds to support Glass Door’s winter shelters and support services.

Carols, baubles and long-term plans

A pianist played classic Christmas tunes and carols at the festive launch event.

The festive partnership was announced at a carol service and gathering of local businesses at the Royal Garden Hotel.

It includes a number of creative initiatives including turn-down cards in rooms which debunk myths about homelessness and suggest ways to help, children’s baubles filled with sweets in aid of Glass Door and special menu options in Min Jiang and Park Terrace which support the charity. The hotel surprised the charity on the night with a cheque for £5,000 to reflect the amount they have raised so far.

The two-year project extends beyond Christmas too. The Royal Garden Hotel staff team are liaising with Glass Door on employment opportunities to assist those affected by homelessness, delivered food safety training to the volunteers who cook in the shelters each night and have donated toiletries from the hotel to those in need.

Changing perceptions and raising funds

COO, Lucy Abraham, giving her speech at the Christmas carol service.

Chief Operating Officer of Glass Door, Lucy Abraham, said: ‘With official statistics suggesting that the number of rough sleepers grew by 18% in London last year, the homelessness crisis is sadly worsening. This means that we need the support of local businesses like the Royal Garden Hotel more than ever before.

This is an important partnership for us because of our shared values of hospitality, and we are impressed by their commitment to making a difference in the community.

‘Our festive campaign is as much about changing perceptions around homelessness as it is about raising money. By working together, we hope to encourage more people to get involved in the local community. We know that when we work together, we can help more individuals find a path out of homelessness. That’s why we are delighted to be joining with the Royal Garden Hotel on this creative Christmas campaign.’

Chef Munkley from the Royal Garden Hotel said:

The employees at the Royal Garden Hotel take fundraising to their hearts. We hope our cheque for £5,000, raised by the hard work of all the staff, will allow Glass Door to take care of many more people without a home over Christmas.

The Royal Garden Hotel's revolving glass door features the Glass Door logo and baubles in the Glass Door colour scheme.

All funds raised through the Christmas initiative will go directly to funding Glass Door’s winter night shelters. It will also support Glass Door’s casework service which offers those without a home a more permanent solution away from the streets.