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Tesco Charity of the Year 2005 raises £2million

Age Concern hit the fundraising jackpot at the Tesco Community Awards luncheon held in central London on Thursday 2 March‚ when the national charity was handed a cheque for £2million.

The incredible amount was raised for the charity through staff fundraising‚ cause-related marketing and customer collections while Age Concern was Tesco Charity of the Year in 2005.

The money will directly help older people in the community‚ particularly those experiencing isolation or poverty in later life.  One in five of the 11 million older people in the UK live in poverty and over 1.6 million people over 65 are socially isolated‚ having no weekly contact with friends‚ family or neighbours. Age Concern will use the money to help tackle these issues by providing services for older people. 

Gordon Lishman‚ Director General for Age Concern‚ collected the cheque at the ceremony. He said: “This is a great day for our work with some of the country’s most vulnerable older people. A fantastic amount of money has been raised in such a short space of time‚ thanks to Tesco staff.  The money raised will go some way to helping us combat poverty and isolation‚ two of the biggest issues facing older people today.”

To highlight the success of the partnership‚ Age Concern presented six Better Future Gold Awards at the ceremony. The Awards recognise the innovation‚ enterprise‚ commitment and hard work of Tesco staff‚ suppliers and customers who all raised money for the charity.

The awards ceremony marked the end of a successful partnership between Age Concern and Tesco in 2005 and officially hand over to Whiz-Kidz‚ the Tesco Charity of the Year for 2006.

Ruth Owen‚ Chief Executive‚ Whiz-Kidz‚ said: “For a disabled child‚ independent movement can mean the difference between total exclusion and the chance to join in with friends and family. We hope to raise £1.5 million during the year‚ which would result in every child on our list receiving their own customised wheelchair. It is fantastic that Tesco has named Whiz-Kidz as its Charity of the Year 2006.”

Debra Stones‚ Corporate Responsibility Manager‚ Tesco‚ said: “Our staff are fantastic fundraisers and Tesco’s partnership with Whiz-Kidz will become part of the community right across the country. I know it will make a real difference to many disabled children in the months ahead‚ in the same way that we have helped Age Concern give older people a better future.”

At the ceremony‚ Tesco Charity Trust Community Awards were distributed some £400‚000 to charities in communities where Tesco has stores. Community Awards benefit charities that deliver practical benefits to children's welfare‚ children's education‚ the welfare of older people and people with disabilities.

Notes to Editors

• Every year‚ Tesco adopts a national charity with a strong community presence to be the Tesco Charity of the Year.  This becomes the main focus for staff fundraising‚ which receives a 20 per cent top-up from the Tesco Charity Trust.
• Age Concern is the largest organisation in the UK working for older people.  Local Age Concerns work within their communities to support older people through a range of initiatives such as information and advice‚ befriending‚ day centres‚ lunch clubs and advocacy services.
•  Whiz-Kidz is a charity that changes children’s lives overnight by providing disabled children with the things they need to be independent at home‚ school and play. The money will help the 70‚000 children in the UK who need equipment not available on the NHS.

 

Media contact:

Zena Ambrose
Media Team

Telephone:
020 8765 7513
Out of hours:
07071 243 243
Email:
Media@ace.org.uk