2024’s Most Touching Christmas Advert
Love Is All Around This Christmas As 90-Year-Olds Honour The UK’s 7.3 Million Carers
This Christmas, as families across the UK come together, a different kind of hero will quietly balance caregiving with festivities —7.3 million dedicated carers, making up one in ten people nationwide.
To honour the UK’s carers (paid and unpaid), Lottie, an online care finder, has partnered with Avery Healthcare to launch their ‘A Carers Christmas’ campaign. The initiative celebrates the incredible friendships between carers and residents, raising awareness and championing the hard work of carers spreading magic all year round.
In a Love Actually-style Christmas video, residents at Chorleywood Manor Care Home surprise their carers with thank you cards, sharing messages like, “You are unsung heroes” and “Thank you for all that you do” from 88-year-old Yvonne.
Alongside the video, Lottie is launching its annual pledge to recognise and celebrate carers’ unwavering dedication. This giveaway offers three £250 Airbnb vouchers, giving both paid and unpaid carers the opportunity to enjoy a well-deserved break. Nominations are open to the public, encouraging everyone to spotlight the incredible carers in their lives.
To watch 2024’s most touching Christmas advert, click here.
With an average age of 91, Chorleywood Manor Care Home’s residents have shared their gratitude for the support and friendships they have formed with care workers across the home.
88-year-old Yvonne and Patrick (Well-Being Co-ordinator at Chorleywood Manor) share a strong friendship rooted in their mutual love of art. Their bond began after Yvonne suffered a stroke seven years ago, losing mobility in her right arm and the ability to paint. “It was devastating for me not to be able to paint anymore,” Yvonne recalls.
With Patrick’s encouragement, Yvonne learned to paint using her left hand. “Patrick helped me believe in myself and my creativity,” she explains. Together, they’ve completed numerous art projects, even displaying Yvonne’s work throughout the home and earning an award for their creations.
Fellow resident Eric, 93 years old and Care Assistant Wendy share a friendship built on trust, laughter, and plenty of local outings. When Wendy first started caring for Eric, she made a lasting impression: “She was extremely friendly, happy, wonderful… settled me in lovely.”
A highlight of their friendship is the many adventures they’ve shared around the local area, including their bus trip and regular visits to The Pennsylvanian, a local pub in Rickmansworth. Wendy’s humour is key to these outings, making them all the more enjoyable. Eric laughs, “She’s got a brilliant sense of humour.”
99-year-old Ann and Ola (a Care Assistant at Chorleywood Manor) share a warm and special bond built on care, trust, and shared moments.
Ann shares advice with Ola about life, urging her “to be patient and not rush into marriage.” Together, they enjoy peaceful garden walks, often singing Maale songs or Ann’s favourite, Que Sera Sera. Ann jokes, “We are two peas in a pod.”
Will Donnelly, Co-Founder and CEO of Lottie, is calling on people nationwide to nominate care workers and share their inspiring stories.
“Our research has found that 7.3 million people in the UK have caregiving responsibilities – that’s equivalent to one in ten of the population.
This Christmas, unpaid carers, in particular, are facing financial challenges, as they are expected to be out of pocket by an average of £2,012.65 when balancing caregiving and additional festive costs. At the same time, the care sector continues to struggle with workforce shortages, with one in 12 positions vacant. These pressures have left millions of carers at breaking point, both financially and emotionally.
That’s why we’re excited to launch our Carers Christmas Giveaway 2024 and encourage the nation to get behind it. Watch our video to see the joy and magic carers bring to residents every day, and nominate a care worker you know to win an Airbnb getaway.
As part of the campaign, three carers will be randomly selected to win a £250 Airbnb voucher, giving them the chance to enjoy a well-deserved break at a destination of their choice.
Whether it’s a cosy countryside retreat or a vibrant city getaway, this is our way of saying thank you for everything carers do year-round. While only three winners will be chosen, our goal is to raise awareness and champion the incredible work of all carers—both paid and unpaid. We urge carers across the country to share their stories and experiences, nominate themselves or a fellow carer, and help us shine a light on the vital role they play in the lives of so many.”
