Christmas is upon us – roll out the mince pies, sherry and It’s a Wonderful Life. But the festive period is about much more than that. As individuals and organisations, we reflect on our commitments to creating positive change, from relationships with friends and family, to serving the wider community. That’s more important than ever this year, as the cost of living crisis means thousands of people are facing food shortages or homelessness. We can all do our bit to help tackle this growing crisis.

At Dash, our mission to fight food waste and support communities in need goes far beyond the wonky fruit & veg in our drinks. This year, it’s been a privilege to support four amazing charities. Our sales have enabled The Felix Project to donate 90,000 meals to those in need, and each month, members of the Dash team spent a morning at The Soup Kitchen in central London, to serve free meals to homeless or vulnerable people in our neighbourhood.

This Christmas we’ve kicked off our ‘a dash of kindness’ campaign, which started last year when a brilliant Dash consumer left delicious boxes of drinks and snacks outside her front door as a thank you to her postie and delivery drivers. We wanted to pass on this little act of kindness. Anyone who leaves a festive present box by their front door, we’ll send a free case of Dash. Send us a photo or tag us in your Instagram Story.

I feel fortunate that Dash’s mission is closely aligned to tackling the cost of living issue. But whatever you do as a business, in the holidays there are plenty of easy ways to get involved, from making a charitable donation, to doing a collection of food and other items in the office.

The macro factors behind many of the struggles people are facing now, from the war in Ukraine to inflation, will end, but not overnight. The new year will see many challenges remain, for people and businesses. Although, as always, new opportunities will abound too.

For now, though, let’s remember to show each other a little compassion. There are few better ways to spread the Christmas spirit than by supporting those around you who may not have the luxury of kicking back with the family, or indeed are struggling to provide for theirs.

Merry Christmas, and a happy new year. See you in 202