Insight

Dignity's Corporate Communications Manager, Stuart Cox (left), with Julian Hall, Fundraising Director of Children's Hospices UK

Dignity raises £60k for children's hospices

Dignity funeral homes and crematoria around the UK have raised £60,000 for their staff elected charity, Children's Hospices UK, during the past 12 months.

Children's Hospices UK is the national charity that gives voice and support to all children's hospice services. Hospices provide care for approximately 20,000 children each year and the charity supports 41 children's hospices nationwide.

Dignity employees chose to support this worthy cause for 2010/11 with over 1,000 members of staff taking part in the decision making process. There were many fund raising initiatives held during the year including tea parties, car washes, raffles, sponsored walks and golf tournaments. Some of Dignity's athletic employees chose to raise funds by taking part in sponsored parachute jumps, cycling events and marathons. At Christmas Dignity chose not to send Christmas Cards but instead donate the money that would have been spent on cards to the charity, an initiative that raised £2,500.

Dignity's clients were also very generous when it came to supporting the charity. Those attending Services of Remembrance and placing messages on Memorial Christmas Trees within Dignity's branches boosted the funds with over £7,800 being raised in the North West of England alone.

The company directors and senior managers were also very eager to support the charity. Operations Director, Andrew Davies and friends, raised £2,000 for Ty Hafan Children's Hospice by cycling the 55 miles between Brecon and Cardiff Bay, a route known as the Taff Trail. Anthony Driver, Regional Manager for South London also took part in the charity's Big Boss Ride and raised over £750. This was a two-day challenge where directors and executives from companies that support Children's Hospices UK cycled from the oldest hospice in Oxford to the newest in South East London.

Dignity's Chief Executive, Mike McCollum said: “At Dignity we are committed to not only making a real difference to our clients but to improving the welfare of all who live within the communities we serve. It has given me a great deal of satisfaction to see so many people from around our business coming together to raise so much money for Children's Hospices UK and the fantastic work they do.”

Julian Hall, Fundraising Director of Children's Hospices UK, added: “We would like to thank Dignity for their fantastic support over the past year. We are delighted with the amount raised and the enthusiasm and commitment of all the staff at Dignity. Their help will enable children's hospices to continue to help seriously ill children and their families to deal with the emotional and physical challenges they face.”