IKEA Soft Toy Campaign raises €12.4m for Save the Children and UNICEF
Howard Lake | 9 March 2012 | News
Customers and staff at home furnishings company IKEA have raised €12.4 million in the company’s annual Soft Toy Campaign, beating the target of €12 million. The money raised will be donated to UNICEF and Save the Children to support children’s education programmes all over the world.
Teddy bears themed activities, celebrities and customers took part in a range of fundraising activities at IKEA stores across the UK during November and December 2011. The campaign was launched by singer Sophie Ellis Bextor who took part in a special book reading and teddy bear’s picnic at IKEA Wembley.
How IKEA raised funds
Between 24 October and 23 December, when customers purchased any soft toy, kids meal and children’s book, the IKEA Foundation made a donation of €1 to the appeal.
Customers took part in the instore ‘Give Twice’ incentive, helping donate IKEA soft toys to local children’s charities. By purchasing any soft toy, IKEA customers helped donate 9,835 toys and 13,904 books to local charities all over the UK.
IKEA Soft Toy campaign
The IKEA Soft Toy campaign began in 2003. Managed by the IKEA Foundation, it has raised €47.5 million so far. The Foundation aims to improve the opportunities for children and youth by funding holistic, long-term programmes that can create substantial, lasting change, and enable them to take charge of their own future.
This year’s donations will help UNICEF and Save the Children train teachers in child-friendly teaching methods, supply educational materials like pencils, books, bags, rebuild schools and provide better water and toilet facilities, and increase school attendance rates.
Tanya Steele, Save the Children’s Director of Fundraising and Julie Weston, Director of Fundraising at UNICEF UK, both thanked IKEA and its customers. Steel said: “To raise €12.4 million is an incredible achievement; it will enable millions of children around the world to enjoy a quality education and have the opportunity to fulfill their potential.”
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.