Scarborough retailer donates £10,000 from carrier bag sales

Scarborough-based retailer Proudfoot Group has raised £10,000 this year from the sale of 5p carrier bags to support local charities.

The amount is the combined total of funds raised in the group’s four supermarkets in Newby, Eastfield, Seamer and Manham Hill since the start of the year.

The retailer donated £2,500 each to Scarborough Disabled Swimming Group, Wetwheels Yorkshire, Girl Guiding Scarborough and most recently, Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Rob Scott, East Yorkshire regional fundraiser for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said the donation has been particularly helpful as the charity has lost around £420,000 in fundraising income this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It costs £12,000 a day to keep both of the Yorkshire air ambulances maintained and in the air and the £2,500 received from carrier bag sales will help greatly towards the vital funding of our service,” Scott added.

The retailer’s four stores have been raising money on a voluntary basis for good causes through the 5p carrier bag charge since 2015. They have donated £50,000 from the funds raised till date.

The group plans to support a further four local causes next year with the proceeds from the carrier bag sale.

“Despite seeing a huge decline in the usage of single use carrier bags in our stores following the introduction of the 5p charge, we are delighted that the funds raised from the remaining carrier bags bought by our customers are able to support some fantastic local causes, particularly in such difficult times,” commented Valerie Aston, director at Proudfoot.

The Proudfoot Group, a Nisa partner, also supports local causes through the symbol group’s Making a Difference Locally charity. Its four stores have raised more than £67,000 in donations for the charity.