Since the partnership launched in July 2012, easyJet passengers have proven that you don’t need to be a Santa to give a child a gift this Christmas with the £1 million donated through spare change and unused foreign currency enabling UNICEF to protect nearly 2.5 million children and mums against deadly diseases, including maternal and newborn tetanus.

 
The stars of the day’s ceremony were children from Luton’s Ashcroft High School who brought festive cheer along with easyJet pilots, cabin crew and an abundance of Santa Clauses.
 
From today easyJet crew across Europe will be dressed in Santa hats to encourage passengers to donate even more to UNICEF throughout the festive period. In addition, all passengers travelling with easyJet tomorrow will receive complimentary chocolates as a thank you for supporting the ‘Change for Good’ programme.
 
A small amount of change can make a huge difference:
 
- Everyday, 4,000 children die from deadly, but easily preventable disease, such as measles or polio
 
- But just 40p could cover the full cost of vaccinating a child against one of these life threatening diseases
 
Carolyn McCall, easyJet’s Chief Executive said: ”We are absolutely thrilled to have raised £1m, it will help save the lives of so many children.  I’d like to thank our passengers who have so generously donated to this worthy cause and everyone at easyJet who has supported the fundraising effort.”
 
UNICEF UK Executive Director, David Bull said: “As the cold winter months set in, the generosity and support shown by easyJet passengers has been truly heart-warming. There is no doubt they are the real Santa Clauses this Christmas. The spare change they donate every time they fly - however big or small - will help UNICEF give children a truly life-saving gift this Christmas; vaccines to protect them from diseases which could otherwise take their life.”
 
The partnership runs across easyJet’s pan-European network of over 600 routes across more than 30 countries during the summer and winter months.
 
The initiative is part of UNICEF’s global ‘Change for Good’ programme, which has raised £53 million for the world’s most vulnerable children in partnership with leading airlines across the globe.

Over the winter season passengers can donate on board from 1st December to 31st January.