Annie Sloan joins Sobell House and Oxford Wood Recycling for festive fundraiser

Oxfordshire businesses are invited to swap the office for a hands-on Christmas challenge on 19 November 2026, supporting Sobell House Hospice Charity and Oxford Wood Recycling.

Christmas team-building needn’t mean awkward party games, competitive quizzes or another afternoon staring blankly at a screen. This year, Oxfordshire businesses can get their creative juices flowing while doing some good, too.

Renowned paint expert and entrepreneur Annie Sloan is joining forces with Sobell House Hospice Charity and Oxford Wood Recycling for a festive corporate workshop on Thursday 19 November, offering a creative alternative to the usual office outing.

Taking place at Oxford Wood Recycling in Suffolk Way, Abingdon, the hands-on challenge will see teams of five creating Christmas decorations from reclaimed pallets, using Annie Sloan™ paints and a generous dollop of imagination.

Morning and afternoon sessions will give teams the chance to collaborate, learn new skills and battle it out for some festive bragging rights.

Even better, many of the decorations made during the workshops will be sold through the charities’ shops, raising additional funds for two local organisations doing important work in the community.

Annie, who manufactures her paints in Oxford and is an ambassador for Sobell House, said she was delighted to bring together three Oxford organisations for the event.

“I also love Christmas,” she said. “It’s a time for family, home and creativity, and this workshop brings all those things together.”

The event is a natural fit for Oxford Wood Recycling, whose work focuses on giving unwanted timber a second life while helping people move towards employment.

Last year, the social enterprise worked with 243 businesses, processed more than 2,300 tonnes of waste wood and supported nine people into meaningful employment. Find out more at oxfordwoodrecycling.org.uk.

Sobell House has been providing compassionate care to adults with life-limiting illnesses and supporting their loved ones since 1976. The hospice cares for thousands of people across Oxfordshire every year, with fundraising helping to provide specialist care, family support and the little extras that can make an incredibly difficult time more comfortable.

Beth Marsh, director of fundraising at Sobell House, said the event offered businesses a chance to “step away from the office” while supporting an important cause.

Sobell House is also taking part in The Big Give matched-funding appeal, running online from 1 to 8 December. The appeal aims to fund two weeks of care at the hospice’s palliative care hub, and donations are welcome.

To find out more about the appeal, visit sobellhouse.org.

To find out more about the festive workshop and book a place, visit sobellhouse.org/corporate-day.

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