In what has proved to be an exceptional partnership, Morrisons original £1m target was far exceeded, with the £2m funds raised going towards life-saving research into all forms of cancer.
CANCER Research UK and Morrisons have certainly ‘raised a smile’ with an astonishing £2.2m of vital funding raised for the charity following a year long partnership.
Exceptional partnership
In what has proved to be an exceptional partnership, Morrisons original £1m target was far exceeded, with the £2m funds raised going towards life-saving research into all forms of cancer.
Further celebrations of the completion of the partnership were marked with Morrisons being recognised with two prestigious awards at Cancer Research UK’s third annual Business Supporters’ Celebration Awards.
Morrisons were honoured with the ‘Best Employee Fundraising Partnership’ and the award for ‘Special Achievement for Corporate Support’ at the event which recognises the outstanding contribution business supporters have made in the last year to help beat cancer.
Unprecedented Staff Support
Morrisons charity initiative, Raise a Smile, sees the UK’s fourth largest supermarket annually ask its employees to choose a worthwhile charitable cause to be its nominated Charity of the Year and Cancer Research UK was the resounding choice for 2009/10.
Staff from Morrisons 425 stores and their customers gave huge support towards the fundraising efforts, from organising an expedition to Everest Base Camp, to sponsored cycle events and hair cuts in return for donations. One store alone, Morrisons Gibraltar, managed to raise an amazing £20,000 thanks to staff organising a golf day for the local community.
Morrisons network of distribution centres, manufacturing plants and Head Office also joined in the fundraising, organising a number of ‘Donation Stations’ which collected much needed stock for the charity’s shops.
Morrisons raise a smile and awareness
In addition to fundraising, Morrisons was also committed to helping Cancer Research UK raise awareness of how to reduce the risk of cancer to its 120,000 colleagues and 10 million plus customers. For example, the summer campaign stressed the importance of not letting sunburn catch you out. Morrisons gave out 10 million ‘Stay Safe in the Sun’ pocket cards at their checkouts, with co-branded leaflets, in-store posters, tannoy announcements, till receipt messaging and articles in customer and staff magazines, helping to reinforce this and other life-saving health awareness messages.
“Delighted to have raised over £2 million”
Angus Maciver, Group Marketing Director at Morrisons, said: “Our customers and colleagues are always generous when it comes to supporting such a worthwhile cause, but even we’ve been amazed to see such enthusiasm and commitment over the past year.
“We’ve seen unprecedented levels of support towards our partnership with Cancer Research UK. We’re delighted to have raised over £2 million towards the charity’s amazing work to beat cancer and, giving staff the opportunity to fundraise for a cause so many of them are passionate about, has increased the sense of camaraderie and team spirit within and between stores. ”
“The money raised will have a real impact”
Jools Tait, partnerships director at Cancer Research UK, said: “We were delighted to be voted Morrisons charity of the year. It’s been an incredibly successful partnership for us and this success is testament to the outstanding commitment from all of Morrisons’ staff, customers and suppliers.
“With one in three people developing cancer at some stage in their lives, cancer is a disease that touches all of us in one way or another. The good news is that we’re making progress all the time and more people than ever are surviving the disease thanks to improvements in treatment, prevention and diagnosis. But there’s still a lot more to be done, which is why the support of Morrisons has been so important to us. The money raised will have a real impact o and I would like to thank everyone who has supported the partnership over the past year.”