Toyshop chain The Entertainer has today announced that its customers donated spare change half a million times, raising over £150,000 for charity.
Pennies, the electronic charity box, received a donation when customers at The Entertainer paid for goods by card in store, online or on their mobile appliance.
Sharing the amount equally, proceeds will be given to four main children‘s hospitals: Alder Hey in Liverpool‘s Imagine appeal, Birmingham‘s children‘s hospital, Wallace & Gromit‘s Grand appeal which fundraises for Bristol‘s Children‘s Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Pennies micro -donation scheme began operating in July 2011 and the independent toyshop retailer was the first to take it up with its customers. Managing Director of The Entertainer Gary Grant said he was impressed with the generosity of customers as half given the option donated.
He commented: “People are inclined to be generous, and our customers have proved that by exceeding all expectations to raise this fantastic sum.
“It has been tremendous to see the donations come in so quickly and easily with the electronic charity box.
“More money was raised via Pennies in the first week than our traditional charity boxes would normally raise all year.
He added, “In fact nearly 75 times more!”
Micro-donation to Pennies has also been taken up by other high street names such as Domino‘s Pizza, Zizzi‘s restaurant chain and Home & DIY retailer Screwfix. A total of 2.3 million donations in the UK has contributed to raising over £580,000 for more than 30 charities so far.
Alison Hutchinson, CEO of The Pennies Foundation, welcomed news of the toyshop‘s donation.
“We have always known that pennies are powerful and have been really excited to see how quickly The Entertainer‘s customers have embraced Pennies.
“With more than half a million individual donations totalling £150,000 it truly demonstrates how quickly those pennies can add up to make a real difference to sick children‘s lives. ”
