Save the Children is urging the nation to make the world better with a sweater tomorrow for the charity’s annual Christmas Jumper Day which returns for its 13th year on Thursday 12th December. 

Since 2012, the charity has raised over £37 million for children in the UK and around the world by calling on Brits across the country to wear their most wonderful woollies for the day. Last year, more than 2.6 million people took part in Christmas Jumper Day, helping to raise a huge £3M for children across the world to stay safe, healthy and learning.

As ever, the charity is urging the nation to again choose pre-loved pullovers over hitting the high-street this year. To take part, all people have to do is upcycle, borrow or buy a second-hand festive jumper to wear on the day and donate £2, or whatever they can, to Save the Children by going to christmasjumperday.org. Funds raised will go to some of the most disadvantaged children in the UK and around the world.

Below is a snapshot of what Save the Children’s celebrity supporters and brand partners have been doing to support the special day and spread some much-needed Christmas cheer ahead of the country’s biggest Christmas party.

CELEBRITY SUPPORT  

Dozens of famous faces across the worlds of TV, film, radio, comedy, music and sport were pictured in their winter woollies to launch the annual festive fundraiser.

The mega celebrity line-up modelling an array of pre-loved pullovers included singers Olly Murs and Myleene Klass, presenters Alison Hammond, Laura Whitmore and Sophie Morgan, actor and presenter Joe Swash, Loose Women panellist Nadia Sawalha, Love Island’s Olivia Bowen and actress Ashley Jensen. 

Also giving some second-hand sweaters a new lease of life were comedians Dom Joly, Jen Brister and London Hughes, Ted Lasso star Ellie Taylor, TV presenter and Paralympian Ade Adepitan, Olympic diving medallist Noah Williams, Bridgerton star India Amarteifio, choreographer and ex-Strictly Come Dancing judge Dame Arlene Phillips, teacher and Tik Tok star Shabaz Ali, Great British Bake-Off finalist Sandro Farmhouse and radio presenter Joelah Noble.

High-res celebrity images available to download here 

COVENT GARDEN’S OFFICIAL CHARITY PARTNER 

For the second year running, Save the Children is Covent Garden’s official Christmas charity partner and celebrity supporters, Myleene Klass and Luke Evans, helped Covent Garden officially kick off its festive season with its annual light switch on extravaganza. As part of the partnership, the charity has also opened a festive pop-up shop at 28 Henrietta Street. Open until 15th December, the shop stocks a selection of beautiful homewares and gifts adorned with artwork created by children who have been supported by Save the Children’s global programmes. 

High-res images can be found here.

BALLET DANCERS BRING FESTIVE CHEER TO COVENT GARDEN FOR SAVE THE CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS JUMPER DAY

Even dancers from The Royal Ballet School have been celebrating the annual fundraiser by jumping in Christmas jumpers across Covent Garden’s Piazza and historic Market Building.

Wearing upcycled bauble jumpers, the dancers twirled, pranced and pirouetted around the iconic Covent Garden Piazza and Market Building, which has been adorned with 40 gigantic gold bells with bows, 12 giant red baubles and 8 spinning mirror balls, as well as the neighborhood’s world-famous 55ft Christmas Tree adorned with 30,000 LED lights. Dancing around the stunning Christmas display, the ballet dancers brought festive magic to Covent Garden as they showcased their eye-catching knitwear, in celebration of Christmas Jumper Day. 

Link to images to be found here

GEMMA COLLINS, POP UP SHOP & BEYOND RETRO

Reality star, Gemma Collins, took on a new role as ‘Sales Assistant extraordinaire’ at Save the Children’s Christmas Pop-Up in Covent Garden.  Bringing festive, Essex sparkle to the shop floor, Gemma joined the shop’s volunteers and store manager to sort out stock, clean shelves and manage the till.

With experience of owning a fashion boutique herself, Gemma was on hand to serve customers and took shoppers through the one-of-a-kind collection of festive knitwear donated by sustainable fashion brand, Beyond Retro, offering style advice and helping people pick out their vintage jumpers in time for the big day.

High-res images can be found here.  

SHAUN THE SHEEP SUPPORTS SAVE THE CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS JUMPER DAY

Building on the success of Aardman’s partnership with Save the Children in 2023, this year one of the studio’s most-loved characters, Shaun the Sheep, has colla-baa-rated with the international children’s charity to support Christmas Jumper Day. Shaun the Sheep has taken on a new fleece of life in the hope of encouraging schools and youth groups up and down the country to sign up and take part in the fundraiser. As the charity’s new ‘Head of Wool’, Shaun is supporting Save the Children to make the world better with a sweater.

Aardman has worked with Save the Children to create an exclusive new Shaun the Sheep animation to celebrate Christmas Jumper Day. As the woolliest day of the year approaches, our favourite Mossy Bottom Farm residents can be seen preparing for the big day. The leader of the Flock, Shaun, demonstrates his co-knit-ment to supporting Save the Children’s baa-rilliant campaign as the animation unravels. 

The Knit Before Christmas is a play on Aardman’s festive film Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas and embraces the anticipation and magic of Clement Clarke Moore’s The Night Before Christmas. The animation has a simple call to action with Shaun the Sheep encouraging others to ‘Join the Flock’.

To celebrate and raise money for the most festive day of the year, Aardman has teamed up with Pawprint Family to create a limited-edition Shaun the Sheep enamel pin badge and sew-on patch for Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day. The pin and patch feature Shaun the Sheep wearing his very own festive knit. Sold via Save the Children’s online shop, the pin baa-dge is £4 and the sew on baa-dge is £3.50 with 100% of the profits donated to the charity.

The film can be found here: https://youtu.be/5cM6rsbjSq0

NOUGHTIES STARS SUPPORT SAVE THE CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN WITH SUSTAINABLE PEACE JUMPER 

Radio DJ, presenter and podcaster, Edith Bowman, along with All Saints sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton, have come together to front Chinti & Parker’s festive jumper range and raise money for disadvantaged children all around the world. 

For a third year running, Chinti & Parker has collaborated with Save the Children to create a limited-edition jumper for Christmas Jumper Day.  This year’s sweater – available in beautiful cream and green – features a stunning dove design and bears the word Peace.

Made from 90 per cent Merino wool and 10 per cent cashmere, the sweater comes in two colour-ways, a classic cream and an elf green. Designed for a classic fit, the jumpers are available to purchase at  www.chintiandparker.com and retail at £95, with 100% of the profits being donated to Save the Children.  

High-res images can be found here.

Save the Children works in more than 100 countries, including the UK, to help children stay safe, healthy and learning. Donations from Christmas Jumper Day will help to create change for generations of children to come. To find out more and sign-up visit christmasjumperday.org

ENDS 

Notes to Editor: 

For media queries please contact media@savethechildren.org.uk

About Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day: 

On Thursday 12 December, Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day is back. Join millions of people across the UK as they don their jolliest jumpers to raise money for Save the Children. 

You don’t even have to buy a new one. Just grab any old thing from the back of the cupboard and cover it with stickers, tinsel, glitter, baubles or whatever you fancy. Or pick up a tree-mendous pre-loved festive jumper from a Save the Children shop. 

By having fun, you’re creating lasting change for and with children. So, let’s get this Christmas Jumper Day party started and make the world better with a sweater. 

To sign up, visit www.christmasjumperday.org where you can also find the latest information about how to take part in Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day. 

·       For Facebook visit – facebook.com/christmasjumperday 

·       For Instagram, X and TikTok visit - @savechildrenuk #christmasjumperday 

About Save the Children: 

Save the Children exists to create lasting change for and with children. In more than 100 countries including the UK, we make sure children stay safe, healthy and learning, and change the future for good. We find new ways to reach children, no matter where they’re growing up. For a century, we’ve stood up for children’s rights and made sure their voices are heard. 

For more information visit www.savethechildren.org.uk