Warwick business helping to spread Christmas cheer with a visit from Santa
A Warwick business is fully embracing the Christmas season, with a visit from Santa and his sleigh and 100 presents for children.
People Arches Ltd, the company that runs McDonald’s on Emscote Road, is keen to spread some Christmas cheer to people who live, work and visit Warwick.
The business has its own ‘Christmas Corner’ and it is running a ‘Send a letter to Santa’ campaign until Tuesday December 23, where children can write a letter to Santa and post it in the ‘Santa Mailbox’.
Then on December 23, The Myton Hospice’s Santa and his sleigh will be visiting the restaurant from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, giving children the chance to meet him and have their photo taken.
On the same day, Santa will fulfil some of the wishes received in his mail box, and will hand out 100 presents to the first 100 children to visit.
The aim is that all the presents will be sourced from businesses in Warwick.
With three hospices in Coventry, Rugby and Warwick, The Myton Hospices care for people aged 18 and over living with a wide range of life-limiting illnesses.
As the only provider of hospice inpatient beds in Coventry and Warwickshire, the charity has seen demand for its services increase by 11 per cent in the last 12 months.
For the financial year from April 2025 to March 2026, it will the charity cost £15.3 million to continue providing these services free of charge to patients and their families.
As a charity, Myton only receives 17 per cent of their funding from the NHS, meaning they have to raise £12.7 million through fundraising and donations.
The charity relies on the generosity of the community to ensure people living with life-limiting illnesses can access specialist palliative and end of life care.
Chris Godber, lottery and commercial operations manager at The Myton Hospices, said: “While the Santa Sleigh brings joy and excitement to families at Christmas, it also plays a crucial role in helping us fund our services.
"With demand for our care continuing to grow, events like this help ensure we can be here for people and families during the most difficult times.”
Dawood Ibtehsam, founder of People Arches Ltd, said: “We try to do things for the community all year round, but especially at Christmas.
"Last year we helped ensure foster children got to have a lovely day out at the pantomime, and this year we want to bring festive cheer to our branch, as well as supporting fellow local businesses and making some Christmas wishes come true.”
The festive events rounds off another year of community work by People Arches Ltd, which supports groups including: Warwick Sports Club, Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind and Citizens Advice.
Its team members have also volunteered more than 1,000 hours with local projects and the business has backed initiatives by Warwick Town Council such as promotional videos and the flash mob event to mark Halloween and half term.
People Arches’ efforts have seen Dawood and his team honoured by the Warwickshire High Sheriff.
The business was also named as a finalist in The Equality Trailblazer category of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business and Community Awards 2025.