Community support via Nisa’s charity touches £14m milestone

The total raised for good causes to date via Nisa’s Making a Difference Locally charity has reached the £14m mark this month.

The milestone amount has been raised for communities across the UK since the charity’s formation in 2008, with almost £1m raised during the last 12 months alone.

Nisa retailers have supported local causes with more than 15,000 donations to date, with recipients ranging from foodbanks, hospices and refuges to youth sports teams and community groups, to name a few.

Making a Difference Locally (MADL) raises funds in Nisa partner stores from sales of all Co-op and Heritage own-label products, a percentage of which goes into a virtual fund for retailers to donate locally, and additional funds can also be raised via in-store collecting tins and clothing banks.

Nisa’s Head of Charity, Kate Carroll, said, “We are delighted that our retailers and their customers have helped to raise more than £14m over the last 13 years for thousands of very deserving charities and good causes across the UK.

“MADL collecting tins and the newly launched clothing banks have been a huge success in partner stores this year and have helped to further boost funds raised for local causes, which we expect to continue through the festive season especially.”

One good cause to benefit from a MADL donation this month is Friends of St Bartholomews, the parent staff association for St Bartholomews Primary School in Quorn, who were nominated for a £550 donation from nearby Bradley’s Supermarket. The donation will fund Christmas hampers for local families on low incomes that may be struggling at this time of year in particular.

Jenny Elsmore, Chair of Friends of St Bartholomews, said: “We are very aware that a proportion of children who attend our school come from families who struggle. Christmas is a particularly difficult time for those families and we are conscious that the pressure to maintain expectations can be overwhelming.

“We want families in our village to know that we are also here to support them. We want them to feel included and valued.

“I know that this gesture will make a big difference to those who receive it and will spread some Christmas cheer.”