The supermarket chain Morrisons has raised £5m for children’s palliative care charity Together for Short Lives in just over a year.
Morrisons and Together for Short Lives began their partnership, which aims to raise funds for children’s hospices, in February 2022.
Staff at Morrisons stores across the country raised funds at events such as in-store fundraisers, marathons, treks, skydives and cycle rides.
Many of the activities were match-funded by the Morrisons Foundation, while Morrisons customers also contributed through cash donations in store and online, and through purchasing products involved in the supermarket’s ‘Every Pack Gives Back’ initiative.
Of the £5m raised, more than £3.3m will be given to local children’s hospices across the UK to provide care services.
The organisations said 20 grants of up to £50,000 would be given to help children’s hospices with building renovations or to create fully accessible play areas, 382 families would enjoy a ‘Making Memory’ experience, enabling them to have the chance to make memories together, and three community support workers will be employed for two years.
Morrisons said it hoped to raise £10m for the charity by October 2024.
Andy Fletcher, chief executive of Together for Short Lives, said: “We are thrilled that Morrisons have reached this incredible £5m milestone.
“It will make such a difference to the work we do with families and provide much-needed funds for local children’s hospices.”
David Potts, chief executive of Morrisons, said: “We are delighted to have raised £5m for Together for Short Lives. Our colleagues and customers are dedicated to raising vital funds for local children’s hospices so that they can provide care to seriously ill children and help families spend precious time together.”
Morrisons previously raised £18m for Young Lives vs Cancer during a five-year partnership that ended last year.