The Fairmont Southampton has proved it is in full festive swing with a large donation of funds to charity and the creation of a gingerbread winter wonderland.

Family Centre is set to benefit from the $10,000 donation as part of Fairmont’s Christmas Trees of Hope — a holiday season charitable initiative in place at all Fairmont hotels in the Americas region. It brings the total donations made by the hotel to the charity to $20,000 over the course of the year.

Shelley Meszoly, regional director of sales and marketing at the hotel said: “We are delighted to partner with Family Centre and support all the good work they do for children and families in our community.

“The organisation has also resonated with our colleagues who have supported through their fundraising efforts as well, which has been wonderful to see.”

Throughout 2015, in addition to Christmas Trees of Hope, Fairmont Southampton has supported the efforts of Family Centre in a number of ways. It secured two Fairmont CARES grants from FRHI Hotels & Resorts, which helps support programmes and initiatives in the communities where its hotels operate.

Martha Dismont, executive director of Family Centre added: “We are delighted with the support we have received throughout the year from Fairmont Southampton.

“It is deep partnerships like this that help drive our work with at risk youth forward. Without the generosity of the hotel and its colleagues we would not be able to do the work that we do, supporting our young people and placing them on the path to success.”

Meanwhile, the hotel’s chefs were hard at work creating a gingerbread village inspired by locations in Bermuda. A team of chefs led by the hotel’s executive chef David Ansted spent about two days on the festive creation which is now on display in the lobby.