The Scotmid Co-op has extended its charity partnership with the Children’s Hospice Across Scotland (CHAS).
The partnership has been extended until August 2022, in a bid to raise £350,000 for struggling families throughout the country.
Over the course of the partnership, the Co-op aims to raise money for three children’s hospices, which includes Jigsaw Children’s Hospice, Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice and St. Oswald’s Hospice.
The convenience store franchise made the announcement on Monday, at the start of Children’s Hospice Week, which runs from June 21-27 and is dedicated to raising funds and public awareness for children’s care across the UK.
CHAS has been operating for nearly thirty years and is currently collecting funds to provide assistance to over 16,7000 families whose children are at risk of dying young.
“Although this past year has been incredibly challenging for everyone, CHAS could not be prouder of the efforts made by Scotmid staff and customers to raise as many funds as possible,” CHAS associate director of outreach Nicky Bridges said.
“We are so grateful to Scotmid who has helped CHAS reach families across Scotland, even those in the most remote parts, and enabled us to provide essential care and respite in the comfort of their own homes.
The funds raised by Scotmid will be used to expand the reach of CHAS at Home, which is the charity’s service to make children as comfortable and cared for as possible at home with their families.
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The service provides emotional support, nursing care, physiotherapy and activities to families coping with the sickness of their child.
Bridges continued: “Having just taken up the post as associate director of outreach at CHAS, the development of this service couldn’t be more important to me and the funds raised through this partnership will help us to expand our CHAS at Home service; getting us one step closer to achieving our ambitious mission of reaching every child and family in Scotland that needs our help.”
Scotmid head of membership and community Shirley McGillivray added: “Scotmid has been working at the heart of the communities it serves since we were founded more than 160 years ago.
“We are thrilled to announce the extension of our partnership with CHAS which will allow us to continue providing vital support to families as they face the challenge of having a child with a life-shortening condition.
“We look forward to celebrating CHAS’s 30th anniversary next year, which demonstrates their long-standing commitment to supporting families in Scotland.
“I would like to thank the staff and customers in our stores for their generosity in the donations they have made so far to such a worthwhile cause.
“With so many staff being parents or carers themselves, the support we can provide to these charities resonates deeply and I know everyone will be getting behind our fundraising efforts to make sure we hit our target and make a real difference to as many lives as we can.”
