Argos and Homebase raise £3m for Teenage Cancer Trust

Argos and Homebase, part of retail organisation Home Retail Group, announced today (7 May) that they have raised a staggering £3 million to help young people across the UK and Ireland fight cancer.

In just 21 months Argos and Homebase customers and colleagues have smashed their initial fundraising target of raising £2.5 million for their official charity partner Teenage Cancer Trust.

All proceeds will go towards the construction and maintenance of 22 teenage cancer units within NHS hospitals, across 20 towns and cities in the UK and Ireland.

Since the start of the charity partnership in July 2010, the fundraising by Argos and Homebase has contributed towards the costs of creating and maintaining 162 essential beds in Teenage Cancer Trust units, which over the course of an average year would enable approximately 4,176 inpatient stays and 5,568 outpatient visits by young people with cancer.

Unwavering support from Argos and Homebase colleagues has seen a host of weird and wonderful fundraising initiatives such as store-to-store travel challenges, a human greyhound race, a naked calendar, a Mad Hatters Tea Party wearing strange and stunning hats and even an ‘I love Argos’ sponsored tattoo!

Teenage Cancer Trust has also benefitted from gift-in-kind donations and volunteering, as well as raised awareness as a result of being present in over 1,000 stores across the UK and Ireland. Young cancer patients have also been involved in the partnership, opening new Argos stores, taking part in work experience opportunities at Argos’ home shopping channel, Argos TV (Sky channel 642), and providing the voices for Homebase in-store radio adverts.

The current top fundraising stores for Argos are Leicester Belgrave Gate, Cavan Retail Park in the Republic of Ireland and Staples Corner in North London, which joins the top ten fundraisers for the first time. Homebase stores which have raised the most for the charity so far are Solihull in Birmingham, London Penge and London Catford.

Terry Duddy, Chief Executive of Argos and Homebase’s parent company, Home Retail Group, said: “Teenage Cancer Trust has really struck a chord with our people across the Group who have gone to remarkable lengths to help raise money and make a difference to the lives of young people affected by cancer in the UK and Ireland. Thanks to these efforts and the generosity and kindness of our customers we have managed to raise an amazing £3 million for Teenage Cancer Trust. The fact that we have reached and exceeded our original target of £2.5 million earlier than planned is testament to the hard work and dedication of all involved.”

Simon Davies, Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust comments: “We have been blown away by the dedication and enthusiasm of Argos and Homebase colleagues and customers. These vital funds are making an enormous contribution towards our goal of reaching every young person with cancer and we can’t wait to see if we can reach the magic £4 million milestone by the end of our partnership in February 2013.”

Further charitable initiatives that Home Retail Group will be supporting include the launch this May of the Entertainment Exchange. Working in partnership with musicmagpie.co.uk, from 1 – 31 May, colleagues and customers are invited to drop off their unwanted or out-dated music and film collections in the designated Entertainment Exchange drop off bins in Homebase stores. Teenage Cancer Trust then receive a donation in return.

Source : Garden & Hardware News
www.diyretailer.co.uk/argos-and-homebase-raise-3m-for-charity-cms-2474