The Big Staff Secret Santa

Ops Team

You are all wizards! Thank you for being so amazing and putting up with me straddling your team!!! Merry Christmas you amazing people!

The Whole of FEET

Thank you for making me feel so welcome and for being super patient with me! Merry Christmas!!!

Matthew Saffery

Thank you for you for being you - always so patient and understanding! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Darren Northall

Hey Darren! I wanted to give you a shout-out for being an absolute superstar! Working with you on the Assessment Module was a pleasure. Your positivity and upbeat attitude helped me keep mine through any challenge we faced. Thank you for being awesome!

Newcastle Social Work Team

I feel so incredibly fortunate to have been welcomed into this amazing and inspiring team. Your kindness has made me feel part of the team right away. Thank you so much for all the phenomenal help and support you’ve given me both practically, emotionally and for the endless cups of tea!!! I feel like I have learnt a huge amount already and can’t wait to learn more over the coming months. Hope you all have a well-deserved rest over the Christmas Holidays with your families! See you in 2025!

Paul Bown

Tech Support's favourite Tech Support!

Raza Kamar

The FEM Map you made has been a LIFESAVER for us all - cannot thank you enough for the time and effort you took to make it, it's so incredibly helpful!! Thank you for that and for all your support :)

Sarah Williamson

Sarah #2, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for all your incredible hard work this year on Case Manager. It’s always a pleasure to collaborate with you, and I truly appreciate the passion and effort you put into helping us improve. You are amazing!

Liz Morrey

Liz, what can I say except that you are absolutely fabulous! You work tirelessly to enhance Case Manager for our Social Care teams, and your positive, pragmatic attitude helps us stay on track and continuously improve. Thank you for being our Case Manager guru!

Claire T

You are so lovely Claire and we all adore you! and want to hug you! Merry Christmas my friend, have a wonderful break. Thank you for being kind, calm, PATIENT and fab! x

Sam H

Thank you for all your kindness and generally being a great person #BeMoreLikeSam

Kat Tet

Look at you absolutely thriving in your new role, as we all knew you would! Thank you for making all our CARE dreams come true, and keeping us all so informed as you do it.

Ruth Bowen

Thank you for welcoming me so warmly into the Mass Pax fold and always providing the joy, calm, and kindness, and plenty of laughter too. Have an incredible restful and much-deserved festive break!

Natalie Robertson

You are simply incredible and I really hope you know that. The work that you put into making our wonderful virtual challenges shine – it’s awe inspiring. Have the most deserved of Christmas breaks – see you in 2025!

Ben Openshaw

Yay for Ben! You have really thrived in all things Mass Pax and we’re so happy to have you as part of the team!

Liz Blunt

Queen Liz! I am every day in awe of what you do for our supporters. You make them feel so extra special, and in fact do the same for each and every person you interact with. I’ve so missed not getting to work as closely with you these last few months, but oh so grateful for every snippet of Liz time that I can get!

Bex Lloyd

I am SO overjoyed to have you back in my working life, and you should be so so proud of everything you’ve achieved this year because you’re incredible! You have such power to raise people up and feel special, and I feel so lucky to have you as a work & life pal <3

Soph B

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I am endlessly impressed by your willingness to not only take on new things, but to do them in the best possible way. You have the best and most creative ideas, and you bring so much joy, laughter and kindness to those around you.

Steph Parker

Wahh you’re the best. Thank you for being so supportive with all my silly thoughts and steering Mass Pax in your kind, funny, powerful way. Have a much-deserved and restful Christmas break, eating all the best food and snuggling with Oats & Marm.

Soph Iles

How lucky are we to have to have you! Thank you for all your hard work this year, tackling everything that’s thrown at you, with so much warmth and kindness. You’re a star and we couldn’t do any of it without you!

Ellen McGill

Wahoo our newest FOOT! Thank you for absolutely throwing yourself into your new life as a foot and really thriving. From recording videos, to writing copy and getting our Bath halfers where they need to be, you’re smashing it, and all in less than 3 months!

Katie Bowen

Our champ of all champs! Thank you for bringing so much joy and silliness, and importantly a whole lot of hard work, making your T2s feel so special, and just totally immersing yourself into all things FEET.

Wil Owen

Our wonderful wordsmith. Our all round good egg. What would we do without you. You have achieved so much this year and you should be so proud of that! Thank you for always doing the best by our supporters, our wonderful volunteers, and everyone you work with.

Business Systems

Thank you for for all your incredible work this year sorting out all manner of very complicated data system issues. Only you could manage responding to crises and keeping the projects going at the same time. Have a wonderful break

Sam Hughes

Sam, you are an absolute joy and pleasure to work with! Your smile brightens our day and your positivity and creativity is infectious! Thank you so much for everything you do. Your efforts never go unnoticed and you are a very much treasured and cherished member of the team. You are just an amazing person and you inspire us everyday! Wishing you a lovely Christmas and New Year. Can’t wait to see what you have planned for 2025!

Haydn and Guy

Thank you for the dedication and effort you put into fulfilling our virtual fundraising packs - over 16,000 this year! Your hard work ensures our supporters have everything they need to spread brand awareness and achieve amazing fundraising targets. You play a vital role in our success and I am so grateful for all that you do!

Rodney Burns

A huge thank you for always responding so promptly to my queries and with such clarity. You make it seamless to work together on data protection and contracts. Your expertise and support are greatly appreciated in a subject matter so vast and complicated.

Claire Tregunna

Thanks you everything you have brought to the team this year, especially your gentle and kind nature. Despite a rocky road we have achieved great things in virtual fundraising and delivered huge growth in 2025. I'll forever appreciate your efforts to make me fall in love with SharePoint, one day you might succeed :) Your cats, Dylan and your biscuit of the day have always brought a smile to our calls, adding that personal touch to make our working days brighter. Thank you!

Sarah Carter

What a superstar you are, so helpful, knowledgeable and just a brilliant digital soundboard. Thank you for all your help this last year

Bex Lloyd

Thank you for being someone I could just call when I was new when I couldn't find a file, a process or know the right person to contact, you've been so helpful and welcoming and I am so excited to be working more closely with you in 2025

Steph Parker

Thank you for your unwavering guidance and support this year. Your incredibly kind nature and ability to keep me grounded are truly appreciated. You lead the Mass Participation team with calmness and kindness, creating a ripple effect through our team and empowering our supporters to be brilliant fundraisers. I can’t wait to see what 2025 brings as we drive growth and deliver excellent supporter experiences.

Carol Jones

Thank you for always being so collaborative and for your enthusiasm and energy - it's always great to have a meeting or a call with you

Hannah and all of the Regional Team

Thank you so much for making me feel so welcome, not only on my second week when I turned up to your away day but at every meeting or opportunity, you all embrace legacies and in mem, I am so excited to be working with you all. Happy Christmas!

Isabel Geerlings

Thank you for always being available to talk through sensitive and challenging situations. You are so calm, practical and knowledgeable. I have really appreciated your support this past year.

Rachel Coomber

You have made my year and been an absolute joy to work with, always having words of wisdom to guide us in the right direction, plus always on hand for a good old chit chat! Thank you!

Rachel Coomber

You are such a wonderful colleague and I love working with you! Thank you so much for all you bring - you are both insightful and practical! Thank you...

Ajay Sahota

You are amazing at sharing the insights and great successes of Individual Giving so we can all collectively celebrate and learn together. You're a joy to work with and look forward to continuing to do so more in the New Year!

Guy

What a stupendously fabulous man! So much more than the man that can with his van. You are the epitome of what a selfless, joyful, compassionate colleague truly is. Thank you for your hard diligent work to make the fundraising magic happen.

Kate McGranaghan Chow

Thank you for all you do - your expertise and insight is so invaluable! I appreciate your honesty and always feel like I learn a lot from discussions with you.

Alex O'Connell

Thank you for being such a fabulous, supportive manager! Hope you and your family have a well deserved wonderful Christmas! x

Hollie Trezise

Thanks for being a fab colleague! Huge congratulations on your huge success with partnerships and hope you have a fab 2025! Happy Christmas! x

Ali Bellinelli

Thanks Ali for being a fab colleague! Love how your cultivate your relationships with your volunteers in particular! Hope you have a fantastic Christmas! x

Kim Mangelshot

Thanks Kim for being a fab colleague. It's great you are so enthusiastic with your fundraising and love your unique videos. Hope you have a lovely Christmas! x

Mass Participation Team

Our team is the definition of a delight! Whether it's Virtual Fundraising, Sports & Challenge Events or Fundraising Engagement, everyone brings their best selves to work every day, excelling in your roles and going above and beyond to support one another and our supporters. Your kindness, care and dedication makes this team not just exceptional but a true delight to be part of. We're so luck to have such amazing teammates who make every moment together meaningful and fun! Thanks for being you!

Ruth Bowen

As I stepped into my new role as a MPM, I couldn't have asked for a more supportive, reassuring colleague. Your 15 years of dedication, expertise and energy has been inspiring. Thank you for being an incredible sounding board and embracing collaboration. Together, we share a vision to drive Mass Pax forward, envisioning growth and delivering exceptional supporter experiences. I'm so grateful to have you as a teammate and a friend!

James Gale and the Ops Team

To the incredible Ops Team who keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes – your dedication, hard work, and seamless efficiency ensure that no matter the challenges, we stay on track! You are a lovely lot and an absolute delight to work with. Your behind-the-scenes fabulousness doesn’t go unnoticed, and we’re endlessly grateful for all you do.

Richard Travell

Thank you for keeping us right in the Bristol office, we certainly need it! I hope you have a really lush Christmas and NY with lots of treats :)

James Passmore

You're such a genuinely caring and kind person James. Nothing you do goes unnoticed. I hope this festive period is kind to you, you really do deserve it

Jan Smiles

Jan, your energy, openness and kindness are just some of the things that make you so special. I hope you have the most beautiful first Christmas with your Aria <3

Jessica Peppiate

Thanks to Jess for working with our amazing services teams to help us to learn from our services insight! Looking forward to the thematic insights workshops in 2025 and hearing more on CYP outcomes and experiences.

Kate Stokes

Thanks to Kate Stokes for her dedication and perseverance to help us understand our reach and impact, despite Case Manager's challenges!

All of our services staff

Thanks for your hard work this year directly supporting children, young people and families!

Miffy

Wowwweeee are we lucky to have you! Thank you for your patience, understanding, kindness and giggles. You're a fab manager and just human in general. THANK YOU!!!!! <3

Sam Hughes

I wish there were ample words to adequately articulate the difference you have made not only to me, but to everybody that's lucky enough to know you. Your warmth, sincerity, kindness and daftness make your friends, colleagues and supporters just meltttttt. Thank you for everything you do just by being you, seriously!!!! Love, love, love, love ya x

Kaz Bird

You're an inspiration. You struggle, you don't give up, you keep on working away until things get untangled, and no matter how hard it gets you're still sunny. It's a joy to work with you.

Emma Pease

Emma, you're such a pleasure to work with and you've done so much great stuff improving our internal comms - thank you!

Sophie Farthing

You are such a great manager (spoiling my identity here), thank you for everything you do. I'm always impressed by how fast and methodical you are – a brilliant problem-solver. Merry Christmas, I look forward to the next year working with you!

Rachel Gardner

Thank you for being exceptional. You are kind, open-minded and very, very good at what you do. It's always a pleasure working with you. Merry Christmas!

James Passmore

Thank you for always being so helpful and cheery whenever I have any kind of IT query

Hannah

Thank you for working so hard for us all this year Hannah. You lead this ship with such love and care, passion and kindness. We are so lucky xx Merry Christmas and have a lovely break xxx

Liz Blunt

You are literally the BEST there is. The absolute best. Thank you for your love and wisdom and care this year. You are like the warmest loveliest safety blanket, because there is nothing you wouldnt do. Thank you so much Liz xxx

Samantha Hughes

The most incredible truly kind, thoughtful one of a kind ladies I have met. Hope you have a well deserved wonderful time with your family. Happy Christmas.

Sophie B

What can I say Soph, you make every day better, brighter, more smiley and more fun. You are amazing with supporters and colleagues alike and despite everything in the background, bring your best every day. Thank you lovely lady xxx

Catherine H

Thank you SO much for your support and wisdom, enthusiasm and love of the charity. You are the kindest person and I/we are SO lucky to have you. Thank you for everything you have done this year with Team Billy and everything else. I have grown so much because of you xx

Southampton services and Home from Home team

Sarah Williamson, Kate Wheeler, Julia Ventour, Nicky Hayler, Clare Leech, Emily Troy, Lorraine Smith, Mandie Dade and Jean Pitter. Thank you so much for the phenomenal support you give to so many families. I feel so lucky to work with you all and thank you for your patience with requests!! It's so easy to be your biggest champion, knowing about the huge difference you make.

carol jones

Thank you so much for your wisdom, love and support this year Carol. You have stepped into your new role so seemlessly and take such amazing care of us all. We are so lucky. Merry Christmas to you, Chris, Lola and Lily, enjoy a much needed and deserved break xxx

Newcastle Social Work Team

Thank you so much for your incredibly warm welcome and open hearts! its going be so fun working with you xx Merry Christmas x

The Sheffield Social Work Team

Thank you all, so much, for throwing your arms round me and supporting fundraising the way you do. Thank you for being INCREDIBLE people and lovely friends. Merry Christmas to you all xx

Hannah Lavender

Huge congratulations on your promotion this year and wishing you and your lovely family a very Happy Christmas. Thank you for being such a fab, approachable, supportive leader! x

Leics & Notts Services Team

You lot are such an amazing bunch! Thanks so much for your help and being so welcoming this year.

People Development Team

Our small but mighty team! We have achieved so much this year together! Bring on 2025 :)

Ruth Bowen

How bloody lucky we are to have you in this charity Ruth! Not only are you the most knowledgeable Sports & Challenges expert, you're also consistently the most thoughtful and joyful person in the room. You have a gift for lifting people up which doesn't go unnoticed and I hope you know how treasured you are!

Samantha Hughes

What can i say other than you are absolutely INCREDIBLE! You are such a joy to work with and have brought so much to the charity through your epic relationship building with your supporters, services teams and colleagues ( Team Billy have just flourished under your care and guidance ) Thank you for everything that you do everyday, we are so lucky to have you. Wishing you a lovely Christmas and New Year x

Shiful

Thank you so much for always being so helpful and for making things happen.

Haydn

You are our shining star and make absolute magic happen for all our supporters (and us in regional too!). You go above and beyond to make everyone feel valued - when they open their goody packages to help with fundraising and volunteering you have brought that spark of joy and inspiration to them. Thank you for all you do for all of us. You are key to all we are able to achieve. On top of that you are an absolutely fab person and it is a joy to know you Merry Christmas Haydn

Superstar SET team

What a team of mega legends! I don't think we shout about you guys enough so I'M SHOUTING VERY LOUDLY NOW! Really value all of the work that you all do and how you really connect with our supporters. You hear them, you support them and you work so hard to find resolutions when needed. You are all so appreciated!

Kat McLaren

Thank you Kat for all of your behind the scenes work, keeping things moving and dealing with challenging situations. You really are tremendous and super grateful for all of the care, compassion and professionalism you bring to our charity. You and your wonderful SET team are the heart of our charity. Have a wonderful Christmas break.

Hannah Lavender

What a fabulous leader you are! You inspire me everyday, and I can't thank you enough for your support and guidance as I've moved into REMT. You've led the Regional team to achieve incredible success this year, and we are so lucky to have you as our 'chief cheerleader'. Have an amazing Christmas break with your boys! You really deserve it! xx

Krissa Ford

You are our newest member of Team Young Lives, and what a joy it is to have you here! You have so much enthusiasm and passion, and I'm super excited to support you in your new role, and watch you achieve great things. Have an amazing Christmas and New Year xx

Ben Green

I admire your ability to always see things from your supporters perspective, even in challenging times. You have a beautiful way of making people feel special, and truly valued. You have made a huge impact in your 1st year at Young Lives vs Cancer, and I can't wait to watch you grow in your FEM role, and achieve even more incredible things. Have an amazing Christmas with Claire and Jude, and your family, and rest up! See you in 2025 xx

Scott Gibbins

Thank you for your loyalty, support, advice and friendship this year. You've stepped up and supported me, and the team, in so many ways, and we are so blessed that you are still part of Team Young Lives. I hope you have a lovely break, and I can't wait to see all that you will achieve in 2025. Merry Christmas xx

Steph Parker

Lovely to work with you - with guest appearances from your beautiful cats! Thanks so much for being a technical genius, love your calm, supportive ways and you are a fab leader. Happy Christmas!

Claire Cobban

You are a natural fundraiser and we are so lucky to have you in our team. You should be really proud of everything you have achieved in just 4 months here. You are making a real impact. I can't wait to see you achieve success in 2025 and beyond. Well done and Merry Christmas xx

Samantha Hughes

Well....what can I say about our Sam Hughes. What an incredible 15 months you've had at the charity. From LEGENDARY stewardship for Team Billy in the London Marathon, to jumping out planes for Team Jack. You go above and beyond for EVERYONE and show everyone so much love and care. You are adored by all of us, Sam. Have a lovely Christmas, rest and recuperate, and enjoy spending time with family xx

Hannah Prentice

Your energy and positivity to all things that come your way is quite remarkable. You are always more than happy to support no matter what. You have helped me tremendously over the years, and you deserve the recognition!!

Elena Green

You are a real joy to work alongside, even tho we are no longer in the same regional team. Your positive can do attitude and sense of responsibility to make things happen is admirable. The relationships you build are making a permanent positive mark on the charity and I think you are just quite simply, fab! Happy Christmas to you x

David Shelton

Happy 5 years volunteering David!! You are SO incredible and it's such a joy to see you every week :) Thank you for everything you do!

Haydn

Thank you for ALWAYS being there, so supportive and helpful, and SPEEDY! We couldnt support our gorgeous supporters without you. Thank you and Merry Christmas xx

Hannah Lavender

Han i am so proud of what you have achieved this year and the huge impact that you have made to us ALL in Regional. I know that we do not work alongside each other anymore but i am so thankful to still have your support and have you as my biggest cheerleader. I have learnt so much from you over the years and you have made such an impact to my development and for that i am truly thankful. Have the best Christmas and New Year with your family x

Wil Owen

Wil you have been an absolute joy to work alongside since joining the central team to support our T2 supporters. You have given our supporters the very best supporter experience and have hugely contributed to the East Anglia and Bedfordshire area achievements. I could not have done it without your support over the last few month. You are incredible and we are so lucky to have you! Have the best Christmas and New Year x

Liz Tijaleiro

Liz thank you so much for being such a great member of our central team. It has been so great getting to know you over the last few months and watching you grow so quickly within the role. We are so glad to have you in our team. Wishing you a lovely Christmas and New Year x

Sarah Wilsher

Thank you for your unwavering professionalism as we have completed the emotional and intense programme of shop closures. Your calm approach has made sure challenging work has been done well and kindly. You are a fantastic colleague to work alongside and will be greatly missed when you leave.

Matt Hall and Team

A huge shout-out to Matt and his team for their incredible dedication and hard work! The new Bristol Office looks fabulous, and it’s thanks to you and your team’s tireless efforts to keep everything running smoothly and safely. Your organisation and attention to detail made it all happen, and we’re grateful for everything you do. Thank you for being amazing!

The lovely CSET Team

Thanks so much to Kat, Jack, Giusi, Erin and Beth for your amazing support and making coming to work each day such a joy :-) You are all truly wonderful people and I absolutely love working with you all. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas xxx

Kat Tet

Huge shout out to Kat Tet for making everything we work on together so enjoyable. Your hugely expansive mind and relentless solution finding focus is a marvel. Your ability to turn data into hugely positive supporter experience is a gift for the charity. Plus your best friend Clive is cute!

Hannah Lavendar

Han I want to say a big special thank you for your wise-words and mental hugging since we both started. I'm so glad to be on this Head of journey with you. Your attention, energy and support for every person who crosses your path is inspiring. I can't wait for what we'll achieve together in 2025, knowing we're in it together makes everything feel possible and exciting!

Jessica Peppiate

Shout out to Jess for your amazing work in Innovation and Systemic Design and for always looking to gather feedback and use data to take next steps. 🤩

Kate Stokes

Kate – the work you do with the services data is hard graft but so so critical. I am in awe of the work you put into bringing it all together and I am inspired by how much you care about your work. Thank you!! 🦸‍♀️

Rosanna Thomasoo

Thank you so much for welcoming me to Young Lives and for patiently showing me the ropes of the charity sector. I felt like I was part of the team from day one and I have been very lucky to be able to learn from you and to have such great support from you. 💖

Andrew Burtonwood

Shout out to Andrew for all your hard work improving process and building products for the Strategic Insight team. We are already benefiting from collaborating with you so here’s to many more stored procedures that run in less than a minute! 🤖