Ardagh and Friends of Glass Poland fundraise

Ardagh Group Poland has joined Friends of Glass Poland to create a ‘Message in a Jar’ campaign to support the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, raising vital funds for specialist local children’s hospitals. Friends of Glass have worked with the founder of the Orchestra and well-known Polish journalist and social campaigner, Jurek Owsiak, to support the annual fundraising event. Polish celebrities have joined the campaign, each creating a special ’Message in a Jar’ for an online auction which ended on 14 January.

Preparations for the 2019 campaign began more than six months ago with the production of sixty unique 4,250-litre jars at Ardagh’s glass production facility in Gostyń, each engraved with the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity logo.

“We have been creating unique glass containers for the charity for a few years now. We hope that the ‘Message in a Jar’ will appeal to this year’s audience, not only because of the extraordinary contents, but also the unique packaging,” says Andrzej Zagata, Hot End Manager at Ardagh Group in Gostyń.

Jurek Owsiak signed the first jar and placed something special to him inside. Athletes Otylia Jędrzejczak (Olympic swimming champion), Kamil Stoch (World Champion ski jumper), Bartek Kurek (volleyball World Champion) and actor Marek Kondrat, followed suit. Otylia Jędrzejczak (swimmer) provided an autographed T-shirt with other Olympic medallists Oktawii Nowacka (pentathlete), Julia Michalska (rower) and Justyna Swiety-Ersetic (two-time European Championship sprinter) also contributing. Kamil Stoch (skier) autographed a pair of his ski goggles while acclaimed Polish athlete and world champion Bartek Kurek added a signed volleyball match shirt.

“We are honoured to be able to work with the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity again and with such exceptional people who have placed their messages in our glass jars. We’re delighted that Jurek Owsiak liked our idea and agreed to co-create it with us” says Barbara Maciałczyk, Marketing Manager at Ardagh Group, representing Friends of Glass in Poland.