Cardfactory, Scribbler, Cards Direct, Post Office, and Redback all step up
The greetings world has proven its generosity yet again by helping raise hundreds of thousands of pounds to help charities across the UK.
From supporting research and help for cancer sufferers, to tackling homelessness and giving to BBC’s Children In Need, Cardfactory, Scribbler, Cards Direct, Post Office Ltd, and Redback Cards have all been doing their bit.
The biggest chunk comes thanks to postmasters and counter collections, as Post Office Ltd will be handing more than £1million to Children In Need.
Supporting the charity mascot Pudsey Bear, the postmasters collect donations from customers all year round and the money will go to the total raised by the annual appeal which is being televised today, Friday, 22 November.
Scribbler’s head of design Aisling Crosland has had the furthest to travel as she’s just on her way back from India following a five-day trek in the Himalayas where she’s so far raised £3,325 through her JustGiving page of her £3,600 target for the CoppaFeel! campaign.
Led by media personality, author and actress Giovanni Fletcher, the trek by 120 walkers, which is covered in the reel below, included crafting queen and TV dragon Sara Davies, Paralympian Erin Kennedy, Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown, and celebrities Emma Willis and Angela Scanlon, who were all team leaders.
The total raised so far is £720,000, well over the £450,000 target, for the charity founded in 2009 by Kris Hallenga to raise awareness after being diagnosed with terminal secondary breast cancer aged just 23, having been turned away by her GP for over a year.
Scribbler has been supporting CoppaFeel! for a number of years with Aisling signing up for the trek following Kris’ death in May this year – and the retailer is also donating 6.25% of sales from each Christmas card pack sold this year, with the same amount going to Creating Memories, a charity in Beds, Bucks and Herts which fulfils the unique wishes of children with a life-limiting or terminal illness, and their families
Hiking on Team Emma, Aisling posted on social media: “I was so lucky to be put with the funniest, kindest, inspiring and most supportive group of people!” and finishing day five she added: “This wasn’t a trek, it was an actual climb! With our amazing local guides half dragging me up the mountain while I scrabbled up with my hands and feet.
“This day though was full of deliriously singing Disney songs while hanging off the side of a mountain. We climbed the eldest/highest of the Seven Sisters peaks to a little temple on top and then had the most amazing view point for our lunch. There were lots of tears and hugs and the top, and I was so proud and blown away by the effort of everyone in the team.”
Cardfactory is continuing its work with Macmillan, the leading cancer care and support charity, with customers and colleagues banding together recently in what the UK’s largest greetings retailer called “an incredible weekend”.
The social media post added: “Thanks to our amazing customers and fantastic colleagues, we’re thrilled to announce that we raised an astonishing £76,042.98 during our in-store Macmillan raffle.
“Our teams went all out with fancy dress and decorated stores in Macmillan’s iconic green, creating a fun and festive atmosphere. We couldn’t have done it without your support!”
Helping beat cancer is also the aim at Cards Direct which has just completed the first year of a partnership with Cancer Research UK, as the retailer – which now has 77 stores across Britain – raising over £50,000 through various initiatives.
“It’s got off to a fantastic start,” the company posted on Facebook. “A massive thank you to all our customers, colleagues, partners and all of the fantastic people at CRUK who have supported us along the way.
“The funds will support scientists, doctors and nurses to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, bringing hope to millions of people, now and for future generations.”
Over at Redback Cards, the publisher wants to turn the Black Friday sales madness to a good cause, with 10% of all Shine range sales over 29 November to 2 December going to Shekinah.
“As winter approaches, we want to give back to a charity that fights to tackle complex issues of homelessness and social exclusion,” explained designer Sophie Mann, “so we’ve decided this year to do Black Friday slightly differently and have a Bright Friday.”
