charity of the year

Congratulations! You’ve helped us raise £3.7 million for RNID

We’d like to say a big thank you to our colleagues, members and customers, for their truly outstanding contribution to our 2009 Charity of the Year. From dropping change into a collecting box in-store, to throwing themselves out of planes, supporters have helped us to raise a staggering £3.7 million for national deafness and hearing loss charity RNID.

Fundraising activities over the year have included numerous sponsored stunts, from mountain climbs to head shaves! Coffee mornings, karaoke evenings, a Santa Dash through Manchester, fancy dress days… our staff really pulled out all the stops in 2009, resulting in the largest amount ever raised for one charity by The Co-operative’s family of businesses.

Peter Marks, Group Chief Executive of The Co-operative, said, “Our colleagues have a great appetite for fundraising, especially when they have been inspired by such a worthwhile charity.”

Beating the initial £2 million fundraising target, the £3.7 million total is a record amount of money raised for RNID, and will be used to fund the expansion of the charity’s vital Hear to Helpservice. Deafness and hearing loss affect the quality of life for millions of people in the UK. From the hard of hearing to the profoundly deaf, the condition can lead to frustration and isolation from society. The money raised will help over 20,000 vulnerable people throughout the UK.

RNID Chief Executive, Jackie Ballard, added, “This is a fantastic achievement and an amazing amount to be raised in a charity partnership. It has been a pleasure to work with such a dedicated team of people, who can be proud in the knowledge that this money will be used to make a significant impact on the lives of people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Not only has The Co-operative beaten its fundraising goal by a mile, but it has embraced RNID’s cause and helped us to raise awareness of the impact of hearing loss and the importance of checking your hearing regularly.”