Greene King announces £20mn fundraising milestone for Macmillan, & more partnership news
Melanie May | 18 October 2024 | News
Corporate partnerships round up, including news of Greene King’s milestone for its charity partner Macmillan, the opening of JPMorganChase’s Force for Good Program for applications, Central Co-op’s new partnership with Samaritans, and more.
Applications for JPMorganChase’s 2024 Force for Good Program now open
JPMorganChase have opened applications for the 2024 Force for Good Program, which is a pro-bono social innovation initiative that pairs the firm’s skilled employees with charities. On offer is support with tech, data, and design solutions, designed to help charities create sustainable solutions that improve how they serve their communities.
Applications for the 2025 Force for Good Program close on 22 November 2024. To apply, charities must create an online profile, and they will then receive an email to submit their application. There is also a webinar and Q&A session on 23 October which will share how the Force for Good Program can help charities amplify their mission.
The Independent & Refuge’s Brick by Brick appeal reaches target with plans to build second house
The Independent and Refuge have announced that their Brick by Brick campaign has reached its target. After a huge swell of support from readers, businesses and some well-known faces, a gift from Nationwide has got the appeal over the line. Its £150,000 donation has meant the £300,000 target has been met, which will enable The Independent to build a home for women and children fleeing domestic violence.
Advertisement
Due to the speed and volume of support, The Independent and Refuge will now be extending the appeal to raise funds to build a second home. The house will again be constructed by Persimmon, and equipped with discreet security measures, including CCTV and an arson-proof letterbox.
Prestige Flowers hit £700,000 fundraising milestone
The £700,000 has supported a variety of charities over the last decade, including partnerships with Cancer Research UK, Barnardo’s and the British Heart Foundation. The money has been raised through flower sales and supporting charity events.
Prestige Flowers is the floral partner of Cancer Research UK’s flower shop, which offers a variety of bouquets and plants. Through this partnership, 25% of the value of every order goes to Cancer Research UK and there is a Breast Cancer Awareness Bouquet, which includes pink carnations and pink roses. The company also sells a bouquet that raises funds for Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
Greene King announces £20mn fundraising milestone for Macmillan
Greene King has now raised £20mn for long-term charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support. It is encouraging people to open up about health and personal problems as part of its charity campaign across its pub communities, releasing research that shows 36% of UK adults feel their local is a good place to get things off their mind.
As part of its fundraising efforts for Macmillan, Greene King has joined forces with TV presenter and NHS Practitioner Dr Dawn Harper and Azmina Rose, a Personalised Care Lead at Macmillan Cancer Support, who are swapping stethoscopes for pints as they become guest landladies for the day to discuss the new research. Greene King is also continuing its fundraising with the launch of Impact IPA, available in selected Greene King pubs from Monday, October 21. Brewed to celebrate the fundraising milestone, Impact IPA will be available to purchase for the next two weeks with 20p (plus VAT) from each pint sold being donated to the charity.
Solihull College & University Centre raises over £4,400 for Birmingham Dogs Home in Snowdon Challenge
A team from Solihull College & University Centre recently took on the Snowdon for Sunrise challenge, raising £4,422.99 for charity partner Birmingham Dogs Home.
Solihull College & University Centre has supported the charity for many years. This time, staff members pushed themselves by trekking up Snowdon, starting at 1:30am in the dark, with the goal of reaching the summit by sunrise. The team along with their students also run numerous fundraising events from charity car washes, to a craft fayre and open day.
virtualDCS selects The Conservation Volunteers as charity of the year
virtualDCS has announced its charity partnership with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), naming the organisation as its charity of the year. Through this collaboration, virtualDCS aims to support TCV’s work in promoting health and wellbeing, environmental preservation, and community development.
The partnership will see virtualDCS employees actively participating in volunteer days and an ongoing project to transform the meadow area at Hollybush Conservation Centre in Leeds, a key site for TCV. The first volunteer day took place on 9 October, with four members of the virtualDCS team – including CEO Richard May – leading the charge. The company has already raised approximately £1,200, which will be donated to support this project and future TCV initiatives.
Central Co-op launches partnership with Samaritans on World Mental Health Day
Central Co-op kicked off its new charity partnership with Samaritans on World Mental Health Day, 10 October, with a launch event at its Support Centre in Lichfield. The event fostered a welcoming space for Central Co-op colleagues to connect with Samaritans volunteers, learn about the work the charity does, and explore fundraising opportunities to support the partnership.
A key feature of the launch was the creation of a “Pledge Wall,” where both Central Co-op colleagues and Samaritans volunteers wrote down their personal commitments to mental health. Nearly 17,000 Members participated in the vote that resulted in Samaritans being chosen, and shoppers can now donate by rounding up their purchases when paying by card at Central Co-op shops or via cash in donation boxes at tills and funeral homes.
Social Bite partner Mitchells & Butlers completes over 88,000 miles to raise funds
Thousands of employees from Mitchells & Butlers racked up over 88,000 miles throughout September as part of charity partner, Social Bite’s 100 Mile Challenge. The initiative raised a total of £110,000 to help end the cycle of homelessness in the UK by encouraging fundraisers to complete 100 miles in any way they choose.
Teammates across the company came up with numerous ways of hitting their 100-mile target, from 100 Mile treasure hunts, to walking in fancy dress as Willy Wonka and the Oompa Loompas, and hiking across Snowdonia in Wales. Mitchells & Butlers teams completed their challenges in just 30 days, with some opting to do it even quicker. One Mitchells & Butlers colleague, Joe, Team Coach at the Tudor Rose in Coulsdon, London set the bar high by completing a marathon once a week throughout September, raising £1,400.
Related posts
10 corporate fundraising partnerships benefitting UK good causes
OT Group joins forces with The Tree Council, & other partnership news
Screwfix partners with BHF to put defibrillators in store, & more partnership news
Restaurants raise funds for Action Against Hunger, & more corporate fundraising news
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.