Bookshop.org partners with BookTrust on Feb fundraising drive, & more partnership news
Melanie May | 12 February 2024 | News
Bookshop.org’s new charitable initiative Read It Forward raises funds through sales of children’s books, while ScottishPower is celebrating reaching £40mn raised for its longstanding partner Cancer Research UK. More on these and other fundraising partnerships below.
Bookshop.org ‘Read It Forward’ initiative raises funds for BookTrust
This February sees Bookshop.org donate 10% of every children’s book sale to BookTrust. Launching in time for half-term, Read It Forward encourages all parents, teachers, guardians and educators to consider purchasing books from Bookshop.org and means that any children’s book sold through the platform during the month raises a donation. Read It Forward is Bookshop.org’s new charitable initiative, which aims to inspire a love of reading in the next generation.
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The money raised will support BookTrust’s work with children, especially those from low-income families or vulnerable backgrounds.
Firms pledge to double Mahdlo Youth Zone £25,000 fundraising target
A campaign to raise £25,000 by Mahdlo Youth Zone in Oldham to help its members and their families through the cost-of-living crisis could see the total double thanks to a match-funding pledge from two businesses with close connections to the town and the charity. National placemaker Muse, which is currently working with Oldham Council on town centre regeneration and offering working placements to Oldham College students, is joining forces with seventh generation, family-owned brewers JW Lees, to match all donations to Mahdlo’s ‘Give and Take’ campaign supporting young people and their families this winter and beyond.
Mahdlo is aiming to hit a £25,000 fundraising target by the end of March, with both firms pledging to boost the total to £50,000. Both firms share close links to the charity and the town. JW Lees MD, William Lees-Jones, is Mahdlo’s first ever chairman, while Muse MD, Phil Mayall, is Oldham born and bred and began his construction career renovating a house in Saddleworth.
SimplyBusiness announces three-year partnership with The Prince’s Trust
Funds raised from the partnership will enable The Prince’s Trust to continue to deliver its Enterprise Programme, which offers support and funding to help young people aged 18-30 explore their business ideas so that they can start their own business with the help of Prince’s Trust staff and volunteer business mentors.
The new partner was chosen by Simply Business employees, and to mark the partnership they’re kicking off with a 10,000 step challenge throughout the month of February. For the last three years Simply Business was partnered with Mind, raising over £450,000. Previously Simply Business was partnered with Whizz-Kidz in 2018 to 2021, a charity for disabled children, and achieved over 500 volunteering hours and raised over £340,000.
Pertemps donates £100k to Sense’s employment service
Sense’s partnership with Pertemps started in 2022, aimed at tackling the employment gap. Since then, the West Midlands based recruitment firm has donated £100,000 to the charity, funding its employment service, which provides help with searching for jobs, job interviews and support in the workplace.
In turn, Sense advises Pertemps (which recently won an award from ‘Investors in People’ for its inclusivity and diversity work) on the creation of more inclusive recruitment processes and materials.The strategic partnership between Sense and Pertemps seeks to ensure that careers are not only accessible but tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals with diverse abilities.
Travis Perkins and Alzheimer’s Society announce new three-year partnership
Travis Perkins has announced a new three-year partnership with Alzheimer’s Society, to raise funds and awareness for the charity’s work.
Together, Travis Perkins and Alzheimer’s Society will also raise awareness and understanding of dementia and of the charity’s network of local support services for people with dementia and their carers. Colleagues will take part in a variety of fundraising initiatives including Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Memory Walk’ and the ‘Forget Me Not Appeal.’ The new partnership was the result of a vote that was opened up to Travis Perkins, Benchmarx, Hire and Managed Service colleagues who work in its 500+ branches across the UK. It follows a seven-year partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, where Travis Perkins raised £4.5 million for the cancer care charity.
GC Live raises over £6,400 for Cash for Kids’ Mission Christmas campaign
GC Live, a new major events organiser, has raised £6,472 for Cash for Kids West Scotland during their Starry Nights Christmas experience at Dean Castle near Kilmarnock. The money has helped support 4,925 local Ayrshire children.
The Cash for Kids Mission Christmas appeal helps to ensure that every child wakes up to a visit from Santa with presents delivered to hundreds of thousands of children who would otherwise go without.
ScottishPower celebrates raising £40million for Cancer Research UK
ScottishPower has reached a £40million fundraising milestone for its longstanding charity partner Cancer Research UK.
The energy company, its customers and staff have supported Cancer Research UK since 2012. ScottishPower raises money through initiatives including its Help Beat Cancer energy tariff, employee and customer fundraising, as well as sponsorship of Race for Life events across the UK and Stand Up To Cancer campaigns.
Make 2nds Count & Dalkeith Country Park celebrate over £8K raised during partnership
A two-year partnership between Make 2nds Count and Dalkeith Country Park has reached its conclusion, raising over £8,217 in this time. Events during the partnership included seasonal fashion shows with luxury raffles at Restoration Yard, The Kitchen Menu Donations – donating 50p from every dessert – a Wishing Tree at the 2022 Spectacle of Light and an online art auction as part of the Inception Art Show at Dalkeith Palace. Dalkeith Country Park also displayed informative signage throughout the park during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The collaboration, which commenced in January 2022, was initiated through a close connection with Karen Henderson, a patient ambassador for Make 2nds Count. The Karen Henderson Legacy Fund, established by her husband, has become a beacon of support for Make 2nds Count and was the driving force behind this inspiring partnership.
2wish Cymru is chosen charity for Wales Business Awards 2024
Bereavement support charity 2wish Cymru has been announced as the chosen charity for this year’s Wales Business Awards. Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid will be raising awareness of the charity’s work and fundraising for 2wish Cymru during the Wales Business Awards ceremony in May. The event, which celebrates the best of Welsh business, takes place on 16 May at The Vale Resort, with broadcaster Andrea Byrne returning as host. Businesses have until 29 February to enter the awards.
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.