One of the most eagerly anticipated television moments of the year hit screens as John Lewis have launched their 2022 Christmas advert.

The 90-second advert, entitled The Beginner, features a cover of the blink-182 track All the Small Things, performed by Mike Geier.

For those that haven’t seen the heartwarming moment it is set around a middle aged man trying to learn to skateboard.

All the pain is worth it when in the final scene there is a knock at the door and a social worker is stood with teenager Ellie, clutching a skateboard.

As the door closes they are heard bonding over their shared connection with “Over 108,000 children in the UK are in the care system.

“We’re making a long-term commitment to support the futures of young people from care.”

The advert follows the launch of the Building Happier Futures programme from the John Lewis Partnership with Pippa Wicks, Executive Director at John Lewis, saying:“Turbulent times worsen social inequalities, and Christmas is a time when this can be most keenly felt.

“It’s more important than ever for our business to stand up and use our voice to make a difference where we can.

“Our Christmas campaign is an important step in our long-term plans to become the employer of choice for young people leaving the care system, and to provide lasting change and hope for children like Ellie.”

John Lewis will also directly support children in care and young people leaving care through the tough Christmas period with donations of decorations, food and gifts.

Children in care and their caregivers will be invited into John Lewis to enjoy magical Santa’s Grotto experiences.

They will also transform the communal spaces of selected residential facilities run by Action for Children with electronics, furnishings and decorations.

This Christmas customers can support these aims by purchasing Lewis Bear product: 25 percent of the sales from these items will go to our charity partners (Action for Children and Who Cares? Scotland).

Products include; Lewis Bear £30, Lewis Bear pyjamas £19, Lewis Bear tote bag £5, Lewis Bear Chocolate slims £5, Lewis Bear Bauble Head £5, a Rampage Skateboard £34.99 and a Waitrose Christmas Yule Log. Customers can also donate through the in-store giving tree.

A Giving Tree in our stores will invite customers to donate to our partner charities by taking a tag from the tree with a value between £5-£50 and scan it with their shop.

In Cumbria according to the Cumbria Children Looked After Strategy – 2019-23 in June 2018 there were:
• 690 children looked after
• 294 in foster care (own provision)
• 10 in Cumbria County Council residential care
• 78 in other arrangements placed for adoption or
placed with parents for example
• 308 were in externally provided placements (95 in
residential homes and 213 through Independent
Fostering Agencies).

For more information on fostering you can visit Cumbria County Council’s website here