Marie Curie & Morrisons partnership aims to raise £15mn – & more corporate fundraising news
Melanie May | 15 November 2024 | News
Starting this month, Marie Curie will be Morrisons charity partner for the next three years. Other corporate partnership and fundraising news includes Central Co-op’s £2.5mn for Dementia UK, and Home-Start UK’s new partnership with SGN.
Morrisons announces Marie Curie as new charity partner with aim of raising £15mn
Marie Curie’s partnership with Morrisons starts this month (November 2024) with the aim of raising £15mn for the charity over the next three years. Marie Curie was chosen from over 100 charities.
Morrisons will be running various fundraising activities with colleagues and customers including in-store fundraising and collections during the Christmas period. There will also be an on-pack donation across its Rudi the Reindeer range of products, as well as on Christmas sandwiches and other products both in-store and online. A percentage of the proceeds for every one of these products sold will go to Marie Curie.
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The funds raised during the partnership will enable Marie Curie to enhance its hospices, provide more nurses to deliver hospice care at home, and help make moments that matter for people at the end of life. Morrisons’ previous partner was Together for Short Lives for which it raised over £10.7mn.
Rami Baitiéh, Morrisons CEO commented:
“I am delighted that Morrisons will be partnering with Marie Curie for the next three years.
“Not only are we food makers and shopkeepers but we are fundraisers, supporting charities and making a difference to people’s lives. Together we are aiming to raise £15 million, to help families get the best end of life care possible, whatever the illness, wherever they are.”
Alcohol Change UK unveils headline partner and official partners for 2025 Dry January® challenge
Online therapy service BetterHelp is backing Alcohol Change UK’s 2025 Dry January® as its first headline partner to date. As part of its partnership, BetterHelp will provide an exclusive offer to participants in the challenge with Alcohol Change UK, offering extra support for mental wellbeing throughout the month.
Alongside BetterHelp, the roster of official partners for the 2025 Dry January® challenge include alcohol-free beer giant Lucky Saint, Lyre’s non-alcoholic spirits and sparkling wines, Counter Culture Kombucha and wonky-fruit infused healthy soft drinks brand, DASH Water. TRIP and Wise Bartender also join as official brands of the 2025 challenge. In the last five years alone, the number of people planning an alcohol-free January has more than doubled from 4.2mn in 2019 to 8.5mn in 2024. Alcohol Change UK offers participants of the Dry January® challenge a collection of tools and resources, including the free Try Dry app®, daily coaching emails and an online peer-to-peer community.
Edinburgh firm doubles donation target for foundation in 23-mile charity trek
Tweed Wealth Management has more than doubled its fundraising target after completing a 23-mile charity walk from Elie to St Andrews. Members walked the Fife coastal path and raised £4,852, smashing their fundraising target of £2,000. The Edinburgh-based firm’s charity challenge was in aid of St James’s Place Charitable Foundation.
Tweed Wealth Management has a longstanding tradition of supporting the foundation through its annual charity challenge which is a broader commitment to giving back to the community. In previous years, the team has undertaken feats, including a hike to the summit of Beinn Alligin, and cycling around the island of Arran, fundraising in the process.
Home-Start UK partners with SGN to tackle fuel poverty among young families
Home-Start UK has announced a new partnership with gas distribution network SGN to address fuel poverty among young families, providing utility support services across 37 local Home-Starts within SGN’s network. SGN will provide £1.4 million worth of funding to help Home-Start alleviate the financial strain of energy costs, offer practical assistance, and build long-term resilience in local communities.
To mark the launch of this partnership, representatives from SGN and Home-Start UK recently visited a local group at Home-Start Banbury, Bicester and Chipping Norton, meeting with families, staff, and volunteers where they heard from parents about the difference Home-Start makes to their community and spoke with coordinators and volunteers about new training and resources aimed at keeping families safe and warm this winter.
PR firm announces community foundations as inaugural ‘Charity of the Year’
Over the next year, PLMR will be supporting three Community Foundations in the UK, including the London Community Foundation, Suffolk Community Foundation and Heart of England Community Foundation, as its inaugural ‘charity of the year’ approach to philanthropy. This will benefit charitable activities across London, the Midlands, and the East of England, reflecting PLMR’s office locations.
PLMR has pledged an initial £10,000 which will fund projects across our three chosen regional Community Foundations. Colleagues from offices around the UK will also be undertaking fundraising activities and volunteering their time throughout the year. PLMR’s focus across each region will be working with local charities and organisations which support young people through the Community Foundations, including London-based charity Settle which helps young people who are leaving care to transition into living independently.
Central Co-op raises £2.5 million for Dementia UK
Central Co-op’s seven-year partnership with Dementia UK has raised over £2.5 million, significantly contributing to the expansion of the charity’s dementia specialist Admiral Nurse services across the country. The total was achieved through initiatives like “Time for a Cuppa” fundraising events, sports challenges, car washes and even as skydive, as well as through micro-donations charity, Pennies, where customers were encouraged to donate when paying for their shopping or fuel by card if spending over £5.
The contributions from Central Co-op colleagues, Members and customers have directly supported the work of Dementia UK, and through the duration of the partnership, the charity has been able to almost double the number of Admiral Nurses, from 200 to 447, providing essential support to thousands of families navigating the challenges of dementia.
HobbyCraft renews patronage of Empower Youth Zones
Hobbycraft, have committed to an additional three years of patronage to Empower Youth Zones. Having been part of the Founder Patron campaign since 2019, Hobbycraft has consistently supported Empower Youth Zones art department with creative supplies and equipment, as well as volunteering time and expertise at the Youth Zone during the charity’s school holiday clubs. These takeover days see Hobbycraft lead a range of workshops with the club’s members, inspiring them to explore their creativity and learn new skills.
Patrons’ contributions combine to create 70% of the annual running costs of a Youth Zone. Additionally, patrons provide valuable opportunities and access for young members, opening doors to partners and supporting fundraising and awareness campaigns.
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.