Blog. Hats off for HA
February 19, 2020 | Author: Kirsty Lyons
Hospitality Action began its Christmas Cloakroom Appeal – also known as Hats Off for HA – in the winter of 2018.
The concept is simple. HA provide posters and a collection box, and establishments ask their Christmas revellers for a (suggested) donation of £1 each time they drop their coats and bags at their cloakroom throughout December.
Twelve hotels participated in 2018, raising a fabulous £2,000. Feedback from the hotels was that it was really easy to set up and run the appeal. So last year, with support from HA ambassador and Cloakroom Appeal champion Richard Morrell and his team at De Vere Cranage Estate, we aimed to make it even bigger and better – and we did! Richard says:
“The Cloakroom Appeal is such an easy way for venues to raise funds for Hospitality Action. It is free to set up and all it requires is that the cloakroom staff ask their guests for a small donation when they are dropping their coats and bags. Not only do these small incremental donations add up throughout December, it is a great way to spread awareness about the difficulties that those in the hospitality industry face and how HA are there to help.”
Over 30 hotels from across the UK signed up to take part in our 2019 Christmas Cloakroom Appeal, raising over £7,700 – almost quadrupling the total raised the year before. It was a fantastic effort from all the teams in the participating hotels and these funds will significantly help hospitality colleagues going through difficult times.
- Cheadle House
- Cottons Hotel & Spa
- De Vere Cranage Estate
- De Vere Holborn Bars
- Crewe Hall
- Crowne Plaza Chester
- De Vere Holborn Bars
- Discovery Inn Hotel Leeds
- DUKES LONDON
- Hallmark Hotels
- Hotel Indigo Chester and Liverpool
- Leeds Marriott Hotel
- Oddfellows On The Park
- Richmond Apart Hotel
- Rookery Hall
- Sopwell House
- The Liner Hotel at Liverpool
- The Lowry Hotel
- The Mere Resort
- The Park Royal
- The Principal Manchester
- Titanic Hotel Liverpool
A massive thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of the Christmas Cloakroom Appeal, the HA team are hugely grateful for this support that helps us to keep doing what we do – help hospitality workers through tough times.
We would like to give a special shout out to one participant who – astonishingly - raised more than half the total: DUKES LONDON raised over £4,070.19 from cloakroom collections alone!
The DUKES LONDON team achieved this by getting everyone on board across their outlets and making sure that every guest was asked for a donation to use their cloakrooms. This not only raised vital funds for HA but helped to spread awareness of the charity and the challenges that hospitality workers face.
“DUKES LONDON is acutely aware that Hospitality individuals can fall on hard times and we are always keen to support those who in their careers have done so much for others. Hospitality Action can provide a crucial lifeline in tough times and the Cloakroom Appeal helps to raise awareness about the human side of our industry - and its occasional adversities - which more often than not goes unremarked and under the radar.”
Paul Skinner, Samantha Rieu, Hubert Losguardi and the DUKES LONDON family
‘Respect Everything, Waste Nothing’
DUKES LONDON continue to be big supporters of HA. They are hosting a one-night-only dinner in their much-loved restaurant, GBR (Great British Restaurant) on 25th February 2020, 18:30, a unique collaboration between GBR’s Chef Nigel Mendham and Chef Jon Parry of The Mash Inn. To find out more contact the GBR team: gbrlondon@dukeshotel.com.
If you would like to learn more about how you can get involved and support Hospitality Action, please contact the Fundraising Team: fundraising@hospitalityaction.org.uk.
