Micro-donations milestone for The Entertainer as toy retailer hits £4 million for children’s hospitals
The Entertainer reports that it has raised £4 million for four children’s hospitals through its partnership with micro-donation charity Pennies.
The UK’s largest toy retailer hit the £1 million mark for each of the four children’s hospitals it supports in the UK: Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Bristol Children’s Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.
Customer micro-donations were made at tills in 150+ stores. The donations raised have helped fund vital care, specialist equipment and support services for seriously ill children and their families across the UK.
"Play is at the heart of everything we do, so supporting causes that bring comfort, hope and moments of joy to seriously ill children feels deeply important to us,” says Andrew Murphy, Group Chief Executive Officer of The Entertainer. “We’re incredibly proud to have reached this significant milestone, which is a testament to the generosity of our customers and the value of our partnership with Pennies.”
Alison Hutchinson, Chief Executive Officer at Pennies, says: “As our pioneering partner in retail, we are delighted to celebrate this incredible milestone with The Entertainer and its customers. Raising £4 million through millions of micro-donations, helping to fund vital care and bring moments of play, comfort and joy to children in hospital is a remarkable achievement. Thank you to The Entertainer team and to every customer who presses ‘Yes’ - together, you’re helping ensure every child can experience the power of play, even during the toughest times.”
Fiona Ashcroft, CEO Alder Hey Children’s Charity, comments: “We are incredibly grateful to The Entertainer and its customers for helping to reach this remarkable milestone. Partnerships like this create real and lasting impact for children and families both here in our local communities and for the thousands of children from across the UK who come to Alder Hey for specialist care every year.”
Currys
Currys customers are now able to make microdonations to charity when they shop online. The UK&I technology retailer has partnered with Pennies on this.
The move is part of Currys' efforts to help eradicate digital poverty, with online donations expected to at least double the funds currently raised in-store. As part of the launch, it will match customer microdonations made this weekend.
Having raised over £800,000 since Pennies launched, until now, customers have only been able to make microdonations via card terminals when paying in-store. The new set up allows the website’s over 500k daily visitors to add 25p or 50p donations at checkout. The initiative was made possible through collaboration with several key suppliers, including LTM, an AI centric technology services company, who played a vital role in developing the website's donation functionality.
With one in five children and one in seven adults living in digital poverty in the UK, this will support Currys in growing its partnership with the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA). Having provided over 3,000 laptops so far through its flagship programme, Tech4Families, Currys and the DPA say that they are committed to delivering practical, scalable solutions that empower communities and support those most in need.
“We know just how life-changing access to technology can be and yet too many families are still shut out of the opportunities it can provide. By taking our donation programme online, we’re making it even easier to donate and moving one step closer to helping end digital exclusion. None of this is possible without the generosity of our customers and we’re excited to see the impact this expansion will deliver,” says Paula Coughlan, Chief People, Communications and Sustainability Officer, Currys
"Currys has been a fantastic partner in showing how small digital donations can add up to life changing impact. By bringing Pennies into the online checkout, we're making it even easier for customers to give wherever they shop. Microdonations may be small, but together they power meaningful change - just five hours of microdonations made by Currys customers could help Digital Poverty Alliance pay for a laptop for a family, improving access to essential education, finance and healthcare resources. We're incredibly proud of what we've achieved together so far and excited for the impact this next chapter will deliver,” says Alison Hutchinson, CEO at Pennies.
“As education moves ever more online, children and young people in low-income families are left behind. One in five children is experiencing digital exclusion today, without the laptops they need for homework, coursework and learning. We are so grateful to Currys and Pennies for helping us to reach their customers, whose generosity can help thousands of children every year fulfil their potential and gain the skills they need for their adult lives,” says Elizabeth Anderson, CEO, Digital Poverty Alliance.
