DSG interational raises £475,000 for top UK youth charities through "Young Futures" campaign
PR37/06
- Funds will build additional units to house teenagers with cancer
- Recruitment of 100 extra counsellors will help 15,000 children in need
- IT training and support for hundreds of children will help bridge the ‘digital divide’
DSG international will today mark the end of a successful 18-month national charitable campaign aimed at supporting disadvantaged children and young people across the UK with a presentation of a cheque for £475,000 to NCH.
The incredible amount, one of the highest amounts raised by the Group which has been running fundraising campaigns for over seven years and donated almost £2 million to charity, will be shared equally between NCH, Childline and Teenage Cancer Trust who were chosen by employee vote in 2004. The money was raised through in-store initiatives including the sale of merchandise, key rings and licensed pin badges in all Dixons, Currys, The Link and PC World stores. Group staff nationwide also drove the campaign through individual and team fundraising activities, and the funds were then matched by the DSG international Foundation.
Clare Brine, community relations manager, DSGi said: “We are absolutely thrilled to know that through the Young Futures campaign we will truly be able to make a difference to the lives of thousands of children and young people across the UK.
“Our staff were behind it 100%, with thousands of employees throughout the UK taking part in fun activities from bad hair days or sponsored team waxes, to undertaking more serious personal challenges such as marathons,” she added. “I’d like to thank everyone for their efforts and contribution – and especially our customers for their generosity in supporting this campaign.”
The overall top fundraising store was Currys.digital Birmingham (formerly Dixons), which alone raised almost £2,500, followed by PCW Derby, Currys Elgin and The Link Banbury. The highest individual contribution came from Dan Dolby of Mastercare, Lincoln who raised £1,500 through organising a five-a-side tournament. Representatives from each of the stores will join Dan as special guests at a lunch hosted by the Group Chairman later in the year, where their outstanding contribution will be recognised.
The campaign will officially end with the cheque presentation at one of NCH’s projects, ‘House on the Hill’ in Lewisham, South East London, followed by a party for some of the children who will benefit from the monies raised.
Simon Davies, CEO at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “We cannot thank DSG international and its employees enough. As well as raising much-needed funds to build more units for teenagers with cancer, this initiative has also created much needed awareness about cancer and young people.”
Emilia Carmen, Partnerships Manager at ChildLine said, “This really is a fantastic achievement. These funds will enable ChildLine to recruit and train 100 new volunteer counsellors throughout the UK. Each counsellor will typically help 150 children in their first year. This means 15,000 children and young people, often in desperate need of help, will get the comfort and support they deserve thanks to the Young Futures campaign.”
- Ends -
Notes to Editors
1. For more information about the Young Futures Campaign, logos or high res images from the cheque presentation, please contact:
Ruth Adams, DSGi press office, 01727 202436 or ruth.adams@dsgplc.com
Lucy Jackson, Teenage Cancer Trust press office, 020 7529 8608 or lucy@teenagecancertrust.org.
2. The Charities
ChildLine is the UK's free, 24-hour helpline for children and young people. Trained volunteer counsellors comfort, advise and protect children and young people. The number for children to call is 0800 1111. Lack of funds means that lines can be busy, so children may have to redial several times before they get through. For more information visit ChildLine’s website at www.childline.org.uk
NCH is one of the UK's leading children's charities, working in partnership to run over 500 projects for more than 140,000 of the UK's most vulnerable children, young people and their families. For further information visit www.nch.org.uk
Teenage Cancer Trust focuses on the needs of teenagers and young adults with cancer by providing specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals. As well as state-of-the-art facilities to keep patients occupied during long stays in hospital, the units provide an environment where teenagers can meet others in a similar situation and allow patients to build friendships and mechanisms to cope with their disease without being patronised or ignored. Units are staffed with professionals able to fully understand and manage the needs of the patients. To date, TCT has built units in London, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle. The concentration of medical expertise within the units can improve chances of survival. Units cost approximately £1.5 million each to build and TCT would like at least 22 units to ensure every teenager with cancer has access.
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