Festive Fun at Station Plaza Raises £350 for Charity

East Sussex College's Wellbeing Team in Hastings kicked off the festive season with their "Warming up to Christmas" event at Station Plaza (3rd December) - the celebration raised an incredible £350 for the local charity Warming Up the Homeless.

The event brought together students, staff, and members of the community, spreading holiday cheer while supporting a great cause. Over 75 cups of steaming hot chocolate topped with cream were handed out to students free of charge. For those looking for stocking fillers, festive hot chocolate packs filled with marshmallows and biscuits were available to purchase and will return for sale on December 11th at the Supported Learning event.

Homemade treats were a highlight of the day, with tables stacked with gooey peppermint brownies, lemon drizzle cake, rocky road bites, and savoury cheese scones. These baked goods, created and donated by staff and the local community, quickly became crowd favorites.

The tombola tables were also a massive hit, offering a range of exciting prizes. The Toy Tombola was the first to sell out, with Fizz the rainbow unicorn being the most sought-after prize. Fizz even posed for selfies with the Wellbeing Team before being won by student Summer Cramp.

Paige Baker-Carroll, Student Experience Coordinator, and Kieron Pierce, Enrichment Officer, got involved with entertaining activities. Kieron hosted a pool contest in G018, while Paige donned inflatable antlers for a hilarious ring-toss game.

Competitions kept the festive spirit alive. Some of the lucky winners included:

• Lucy Ansell from the Careers department guessed the weight of a Christmas pudding and took home the prize, kindly donated by the Catering department.
• Student Emelia Pearson won the “Guess how many sweets in the jar” competition, excitedly rushing to claim her prize.
• Another student, B Pattenden, correctly guessed the name of a reindeer and walked away with a cuddly prize.

The photo booth was a must-visit, with students, staff, and even a festive dog named Jesse posing in Santa hats and reindeer antlers.

The Festivities Continue at Ore Campus!

The Wellbeing Team will host their next "Warming up to Christmas" event at the Ore Campus on December 10th. Raffle tickets are on sale, with fantastic prizes donated by local businesses, including:

• A limited-edition Wicked beanie from HMV
• A drill from B&Q
• £50 vouchers for Valhalla Hair and 180 Bar
• Coffee vouchers from Caffè Nero
• A family ticket for Ninja Arena
• A free MOT, and much more!

Donations for the tombola and raffle are still welcome, and the event will feature another "Guess the Weight of the Cheesecake" competition, with a delicious creation by Wellbeing Team member Claire Howard.

The "Warming up to Christmas" events aren’t just about festive fun—they’re a fundraiser for Warming Up the Homeless, a charity that provides crucial support to vulnerable people, especially during the winter months.