Spreading Christmas Cheer at Ronald McDonald House Oxford

Yesterday, a group of our staff spent the day at Ronald McDonald House in Oxford – helping bring some festive cheer to the families staying there over Christmas.

Seven of the team volunteered to deep clean and decorate one of the house’s kitchens with a red and white candy cane theme – complete with fairy lights, a Christmas tree, and oversized sweets to make the space feel magical for the children and their families.

Ronald McDonald House Oxford is just minutes from the John Radcliffe Hospital and offers free accommodation to families with seriously ill children. The house has 62 bedrooms – each thoughtfully named after Oxford landmarks or colleges – and supports up to 60 families at any one time. This year alone, they’ve supported more than 1,300 families through some of their most difficult moments.

Everything at the house is geared towards comfort and care. There’s a ‘grab and go’ kitchen area for parents in a rush, donated toiletries, handmade blankets and a real sense of community among the families who support each other. It costs around £4,000 a night to keep the house running, so support from volunteers and donors is essential.

We’re proud to have played a small part in making the house feel more like home this Christmas – and we’re incredibly grateful to the Ronald McDonald House team for welcoming us so warmly.

A big thank you to our InstaVolt colleagues who rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in: Shannai from Legal, Sarah from Marketing, Laura from our Executive team, Curtis from Partnerships, and Will, Grace and Maxine from our Sales team, who work closely with McDonald’s franchise partners. Your energy and effort made a real impact.

And on Friday evening the fun continued with the Ronald McDonald House Charities Gala Dinner in Birmingham, where we’re proud to sponsor a table. The event typically raises over £300,000 to support houses like Oxford and the vital work they do all year round.

This was a truly special day, and one we won’t forget in a hurry.