Charity News
Nationwide Produce and Three Musketeers are donating 50p from every box of mint potatoes to support the Poppy Appeal
Nationwide Produce and Suffolk potato grower Three Musketeers will donate 50p to The Royal British Legion from every box of mint salad potatoes they sell during the three-week appeal.
After Edward Blanchard from Three Musketeers, and Nationwide’s Tim O’Malley, were moved by visiting Ypres, they decided to replace the mint leaf on packaging with a poppy in aid of the charity.
Backed by Michelin-starred chef Mark Poynton, the ‘Poppy Boxes’ went on sale on Wednesday 21 October at wholesalers and foodservice firms. O’Malley said: “This is a unique opportunity for buyers to support the Poppy Appeal while also backing British farming.
“We’re only five days into this promotion and the uplift in sales would already indicate that the amount we will raise for the Poppy Appeal will be closer to £15,000 than our original estimate of £10,000. The general reaction to this promotion from our customers has been very positive.”
Blanchard said it is “a great honour to help remember those that shouldn’t be forgotten” and asked the produce industry to support the initiative. “Chefs and buyers throughout the country, you can help us to raise some much-needed funds. Simply buy a product you already enjoy or swap from your usual supply and order a ‘Poppy Box’ of our Mint salad potatoes for the first time,” he said.
Asda, Iceland, Morrisons and Waitrose will donate money from new plastic bag levy to help fund new dementia research centre
In a rare instance of retailers working together, four of the UK’s major supermarkets have collaborated in a new charity initiative relating to the new “5p charge” on plastic bags
Asda, Iceland, Morrisons and Waitrose have pledged funds from the new levy to support the construction of a new dementia research centre at UCL university in London.
In addition to committing funds from their own stores, the four chief executives are today writing to their counterparts at all other UK food retailers, urging them to lend their support either this year or over the next five years.
With a total investment of £350 million, the proposed research centre currently has a funding shortfall of £100m, and the cash generated by carrier-bag sales in food retailers across Britain has the potential to bridge much of that gap.
The new centre aims to help the G8 Group challenge to find a cure for dementia by 2025.
Forty workers at Quality Produce International participated in the cancer fundraising Ride for the Roses bicycle race in the Netherlands
Over €45,000 has been raised by employees of Dutch firm Quality Produce International (QPI) for charity.
Forty workers at the company participated in the cancer fundraising event Ride for the Roses bicycle in the Netherlands on 6 September.
This year’s edition was in and around Aalsmeer, and all forty employees completed the 100km race by bicycle without any problems.
Part of the overall total the business raised also came through selling fruit and vegetable boxes, an initiative developed together with local food-service supplier Flexivers.
The rest of the amount was donated by participants, friends and family, but most of all by customers and suppliers.
Marcel Paul, of QPI, said: “The whole team is very proud that we could donate such a fabulous amount at the finish. Hereby we woud like to thank all that helped us for raising this fantastic sum of money for cancer research in Holland, and we hope we can count on all of your support again next year.”