Nurses, firefighters, road workers and many other Brits who work on Christmas Day celebrated 24 days early during the first ever Big Christmas Shift, held on Monday 1 December as an alternative day for those on duty on the 25th.
Greene King pubs welcomed up to 30,000 of the nation’s hardest workers in over 700 pubs across the UK for a complimentary meal and festive celebration. Greene King pubs also offered a seasonal discount to some of the 100,000+ shift workers who signed up for the Big Christmas Shift but missed out on one of the free meals available.
The Big Christmas Shift was created to honour the 1.1 million people due to work on Christmas Day. These are the people who keep hospitals running, shops open and transport moving while the rest of the country relaxes on the 25th.
The successful initiative created an alternative day to celebrate, giving nurses caring for patients, paramedics racing to emergencies, shop workers stocking shelves, and countless other essential workers who sacrifice their own Christmas Day for a well-earned moment of thanks ahead of the busy festive period.
Since launching in early November, the pub company received over 130,000 sign-ups from essential workers across the country. Of these, 30,000 were able to enjoy a free meal on Monday 1 December.
This came after a study of 1,000 adults who have worked on Christmas Day in the past found that more than half (53%) feel under-appreciated for keeping essential services going on the big day.
Due to the overwhelming demand, Greene King pubs will continue to support shift workers beyond the 30,000 that received a free meal.
Andrew Gallagher, Brand and Marketing Director at Greene King pubs, said: “Experiencing the overwhelming response to The Big Christmas Shift was incredible and reaffirmed the importance of continuing to support the real heroes who sacrifice their Christmas Day for the rest of us. This day was all about the celebration and gratitude for those who deserve it most and I’m so thrilled we’ve been able to achieve it.”
A number of meals were reserved for Blue Light Card holders. Alongside the festive celebrations taking place across the country, the pub company held an exclusive event for Blue Light Card members at the Deansgate pub in Manchester, hosting over 60 emergency service workers to enjoy some well-deserved time together.
Kate Trethwey, former NHS nurse at St Bartholomew’s Hospital said: “I have had to work a few Christmas Days across my career as a nurse and the season is always a reminder of the special moments you’ve missed out on with you loved ones. That’s why it means so much that initiatives like The Big Christmas Shift continue to recognise the dedication of nurses and all shift workers, giving us the chance to celebrate together, recharge and continue creating meaningful memories for our patients on the big day.”
