Hospitality workers win Christmas Day back

Bidfood has announced the winners of its Christmas Gift campaign, which sees a handful of hospitality workers gifted Christmas Day back.

The winners - pub and hotel general managers, hospital chefs and community volunteers - have between them given up more than 60 Christmases at home in order to work.

The campaign received more than 100 nominations from which a judging panel selected five winners across four industry sectors to be treated to a meal to enjoy with family and friends, as well as a Virgin Experience Days voucher.

Andy Kemp, group sales and marketing director at Bidfood, said: "I was so pleased to be running Bidfood's Christmas Gift for a second year, recognising those who work so hard to make Christmas a special time for all of us. The fact that we chose additional winners speaks volumes about the calibre of entries received."

The winners were:

• Leslie Griffiths, assistant head cook, Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Jenny Close, general manager, the Rubbing House
• Adam Msetfi, general manager, the White Hart (pictured)
• Rhona and Stewart Boyle, church elders, St Nicolas Parish Church
• Colin Aldridge, chairman, East Oxford Community Association

Judge Anne Pierce, chief executive of Springboard, said: "It was an absolute privilege to judge Bidfood's Christmas Gift again this year, but it was also a challenging and emotional experience with many of the entries quite literally bringing a lump to my throat.

"Reading through so many incredible stories of people who give up their Christmas festivities to selflessly give joy to others was truly humbling. Bidfood's Christmas Gift is a lovely way to give back to hardworking people who give so much to others at Christmas."

The number of people dining out on Christmas Day has increased by 240% in the last five years according to booking site OpenTable.

Bidfood's Christmas Emotive survey found that 93% of hospitality workers accept ed there was a chance they would have to work Christmas or Boxing Day, while 44% said they liked doing so.

Number of people eating out on Christmas Day set to treble >>

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