‘Tis the season for giving! Starbucks UK gifted all NHS workers a free beverage on 5th December  

“Feeling the buzz in the store reminds you what working in Starbucks is all about,” says Owen Jenkinson. He’s been a Green Apron Partner at Starbucks for just over three years now, but for one day of the year he gets the chance to spread the festive cheer by giving out free handcrafted beverages to NHS staff.

Owen is one of many Green Apron Partners up and down the UK who gave out free drinks to NHS workers on 5^th December – a way for us to say ‘thank you’ for the incredible work they do all year round. This year marked our fifth consecutive festive giveaway in partnership with NHS Charities Together.

“My partner works at the NHS,” Owen goes on to explain, “so I know they work long hours, sometimes 12-hour shifts. Giving them a free drink to enjoy during their busy day is probably one of the best things we can do for them.”

(Owen, Marc & Georgina)

This year, we also had an extra surprise up our sleeve – London Ambulance Service got a special visit from the Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust Choir! Famous for their Christmas Number One hit on the UK Charts, ‘A Bridge Over You’, the choir helped us to ring in the fifth year of our partnership with NHS Charities Together in style. By day, the choir members are all NHS workers themselves, but when they’re off the clock they’re raising money to help fund the NHS by spreading holiday merriment. 

Serving up some festive magic

The lead up to the holidays can be a hectic time for anyone, but many hardworking NHS staff sacrifice time with their own families to keep the nation healthy and cared for over the festive period. That’s why, for the last five years, Starbucks has been partnered with NHS Charities Together to show our appreciation for their selfless dedication.

“Winter is always a demanding season,” explains Ellie Orton, OBE, CEO of NHS Charities Together, “with 72% of the public rating working within the NHS as the most difficult job to do over the festive period, so this initiative couldn’t come at a better time. We hope the Starbucks Free Coffee Giveaway will remind our NHS staff across the UK that their dedication is appreciated.” 

We’re incredibly proud to support NHS Charities Together in their vital work taking care of the people who take such good care of us. NHS Charities Together are a collection of over 230 NHS Charities across the UK who are working to make healthcare better by improving patient care, making health services more accessible, and supporting the wellbeing of NHS workers. Since 2020, Starbucks has donated over £3.9 million to NHS Charities Together, over 500,000 items of food and drink to NHS Staff, and helped create 17 green spaces in NHS hospitals and communities.

This year, our little elves (Green Apron Partners!) once again got into the holiday spirit by busily crafting handmade beverages with all their usual love and care – and some added festive goodwill sprinkled on top. NHS workers could choose any Tall beverage from our menu – that includes our holiday classics, like the Toffee Nut Latte, and our new festive inventions like the Gingerbread Cream Iced Chai Latte and the Caramel Waffle Cream Iced Latte.

“NHS staff really don’t get enough praise for the work they do,” says Luke Caruana, a Starbucks partner working at Southbank Place in London, “it’s made me really happy. I had a chance to say ‘thank you’ for their service.”

Georgina Sian works at Macmillan Cancer Centre, University College London and she managed to find a moment in her hectic day to pop into her local Starbucks for a free hot chocolate. “It’s a really busy time of year here because we have a lot of chemotherapy treatments to book in before the holidays and everyone is exhausted,” she says, “it’s lovely to receive a free drink. It’s the highlight of my day – the highlight of my week in fact!”

For NHS workers who weren’t able to get to one of our stores, we brought the holiday cheer to their doorstep so they didn’t miss out. 12 hospitals and 10 ambulance stations got a special delivery of 25,000 Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso™ cans, 42,000 Starbucks Premium Instant sachets, and baked goods like our chocolate-covered pretzels and vegan brownies.

Alex Rayner, General Manager at Starbucks UK says, “We’re proud to offer this giveaway for the fifth year running to say a small thank you to NHS staff for their remarkable service. Starbucks has always been a place where people come together and we hope that NHS staff can do just that on Thursday over a coffee on us. Thank you to our ongoing partner NHS Charities Together whose invaluable work supports the mental health and wellbeing of NHS staff across the UK.”

*NHS Charities Together is the trading name of Associations of NHS Charities. Registered Charities No 1186569 (England & Wales) and SC050716 (Scotland). Company No 12325259