Mindfully Christmas
All the little bits that make Christmas a really fantastic time...
This year we've really focussed on a mindful festive season - with topics of community, charity, locally sourced, plastic-free, Mowbray Made, re-usable and recycling top of the pile.
The Festive Table
It’s a beautiful thing! We’re keeping things as natural and as plastic free as possible - so expect to see huge quantities of our trademark candles and soft spruce and pine branches on The Mowbray feasting tables this year.
We're also partial to the lovely expansive softness of Asparagus Fern - with its ethereal touch - it's perfect for our feasting tables at it does really well in terms of shooting roots down ready to be planted after their starring role on the tables!
It’s a Cracker!
We go through a huge quality of Christmas Crackers - so this year have chosen eco crackers that are 100% plastic free and fully recyclable. As an extra dose of goodness - a percentage of what we pay for them also goes to the charity Shelter.
14ft of Beauty
This year The Mowbray Tree is from Whirlow Hall Farm - All profits from the Christmas trees go directly towards the Whirlow Hall Farm Trust charity who each year help over 10,000 children and young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and the inner city.
Our Tree is decked out traditionally and magnificently with paper craft, orange slices, Mowbray Made ginger biscuits and re-usables.
Paper Craft
You'll also see an entire flock of beautiful butterflies on our tree that have been folded by Jasmine - our Event's Assistant! Jasmine has spent hours creating these gorgeously delicate works of art out of origami paper. The butterflies are inspired by The Butterfly Lovers - a Chinese legend that is also one of China's greatest folktales. They are Mowbray Made so definitely have a sprinkling of magic about them - so we like to think of them flying around The Mowbray on an evening after all of our guests have gone home for the evening then settling back down to rest on the tree in the morning...
Christmas Drinks
Our beautiful, hot off the press repurposed leather drinks guide will take you through from arrival drinks to something indulgent to finish your feast! In keeping with our sustainable ethos - the material for our menus was really important - and we're super pleased with the recycled leather that smells great and feels fantastic!
We've also kept The Drinks Cabinet as local as possible with Sheffield made taking the starring role - plus we now have Abbeydale's top brew Heathen on draft!
We've pretty much eliminated single use plastics from The Mowbray Bar which we're really pleased about!
Christmas Food
Local ingredients, food made from scratch means everything we serve we know the story behind it - the how and the why of food really matters to us - and we're really pleased and take heart from the fact that it matters to you as well. Our Christmas puddings, cakes, Christmas chutneys, infusions and all seasonal specials have been Mowbray Made - and are incredible!
See you at the Feast!
The Better Together Project Returns for 2019
For the past 3 years The Better Together Project has hosted a free Christmas party to provide companionship for elderly people in Sheffield who might otherwise be spending Christmas alone.
In 2018 - for our first Christmas - we hosted their Christmas Party - which was hailed as a huge success and we were delighted to hear fantastic feedback from our guests who attended. With 100 people for dinner and over 30 volunteers, we had a fully and happy house with the most excellent entertainment and Christmas Feast from The Mowbray Kitchen.
This year we're absolutely delighted to be welcoming this super special party back to The Mowbray. For an extra special feel great Christmas - we gift this wonderful group of people the hire of The Mowbray and The Mowbray kitchen call in plenty of favours to serve up a knock-out Christmas Feast.
In order for these super special events to go ahead, The Better Together Project rely heavily on volunteers, donations and sponsorship. Every single penny contributes will go towards ensuring that their elderly guests have an amazing day that they will remember for years to come.
"I'd just like to say a huge, huge thank you for hosting this year's event. It was probably our most successful one yet! The staff, food, decor - absolutely everything was amazing and completely exceeded my expectations. We'd absolutely love to host next year's party at The Mowbray if you'll have us again. It is an absolutely stunning venue and our guests loved it. Thanks so much for all of your help and for helping us to secure our first headline sponsor - it is much, much appreciated"
Sarah Bridge - 'The Better Together Project at The Mowbray'
