Former Suffolk nurse speaks about Christmas and the importance of appreciation
More than a million people are expected to work on Christmas, but a free dinner is available to show appreciation.
More than a million people are expected to work on Christmas Day this year, from NHS staff and carers to delivery drivers, hospitality workers and emergency crews.
While many people will celebrate at home, 1.1 million shift workers across the UK will keep essential services running over the festive period.
New research commissioned for The Big Christmas Shift campaign by Green King suggests more than half (53%) of shift workers often feel underappreciated, while 43% say the hardest part is missing time with family.
On Monday, the 1st of December, 30,000 free main meals will be served nationwide, a chance for shift workers to enjoy their own Christmas Day before the big one. The Big Christmas Shift will be an early celebration for the nation’s unsung heroes.
For former nurse Kate Trethewey, from Suffolk, the memory of her first Christmas shift has stayed with her for decades.
She said “It was my first ever Christmas shift… I didn’t know what to expect. I knew I’d be without my family and friends and the all-important boyfriend at the time… I was very nervous, homesick, before the day had even started."
Kate trained at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London and said her first festive shift felt “quite intense”, especially being away from home for the first time.
“There were people there who needed care, who couldn’t be home… and we were doing our best to give them a good Christmas,” she said.
‘To have somebody else cook a meal… is huge’
The campaign is also offering thousands of free Christmas meals to people who will be working on 25 December, something Kate says would have made a real difference when she was 18 and living off “toast” and “prawn or cheese spread”.
“To have somebody else cook a meal and to be able to go out and I haven’t cooked it and I haven’t got to pay for it… I would never have been able to afford it myself,” she said.
“There’s going to be a lot of people out there now who probably can’t afford it. So just to have this one massive Christmas thing paid for is huge.”
She said many shift workers face long hours and low wages, which can make traditional festive meals out of reach.
“The food is a big thing at Christmas… a lot of people won’t be having that. But they can now, which is lovely,” she added.
‘Remember the people who make Christmas work’
Kate said she supports any effort to give shift workers a moment of celebration.
“It’s really important to remember when you’re at home that there are so many people there who are away from their family and away from their friends,” she said.
“To be able to have a meal with them… It’s such a good idea. Such a worthwhile thing to promote.”
Kate hopes the recognition encourages more people to think about those working behind the scenes on Christmas Day.
“I think it will really help… and you can have fun before Christmas and hopefully after and during.”