What we did together
Raising funds for the cause
From cycle rides and sponsored walks to sky dives and ‘Give at the Till’ initiatives, big-hearted colleagues, members and customers went the extra mile to support the two-year fundraising drive. The Midcounties Co-operative food stores, travel branches, pharmacies, funeral homes, childcare nurseries, and post offices have all got behind the campaign.
Midcounties Chief Executive Ben Reid, who raised £3,700 for Help the Hospices by running the New York Marathon, paid tribute to everyone who got behind the charity partnership.
He said:
“Statistically around half of our customers and staff are likely to know someone who has been cared for by a hospice, and there is no doubt that people identified with their local hospices and embraced a cause which is close to their hearts. That support is shown in the amount we have raised and also by the many stories people will tell about what they have done and how they have made a real difference.
“This community involvement is what sets the Co-operative apart from other businesses and it has shown Team Midcounties at its best. I am sure the links we have established with our local hospices will continue for many years to come.”
David Praill, chief executive of Help the Hospices, said:
“Most hospices are small charities rooted in the communities that they serve, so we are extremely grateful to Midcounties for giving local hospices the exciting opportunity to benefit from this huge collective fundraising effort. The money that has been raised will enable hospices to provide the best possible care to adults and children with life-limiting and terminal illnesses, as well as to their friends and families.”
Volunteering
In addition to raising the biggest total ever for a charity partner, Midcounties’ colleagues also volunteered their services and gave more than 18,000 hours of community work for the cause.
How the partnership works
The partnership benefits Help the Hospices and 11 local hospices in The Midcounties Co-operative trading area.
The local hospices who have benefited from the partnership are:
- Compton Hospice, Wolverhampton
- Cotswold Care Hospice, Gloucestershire
- Great Oaks Dean Forest Hospice, Gloucester
- Helen and Douglas House, Oxford
- Katharine House Hospice, Banbury
- Kemp Hospice, Worcestershire
- Prospect Hospice, Swindon
- Severn Hospice, Shropshire
- Sir Michael Sobell House, Oxford
- South Bucks Hospice, High Wycombe
- Walsall Hospice.
