Branches of the Co-operative Funeralcare operated by the Southern Co-op are celebrating after raising more than £190,000 in charity donations, through their memorial webpage over the last year.
The online tribute service, run in partnership with memorial charity MuchLoved, was set up after growing numbers of people asked for donations instead of flowers at funerals. It is a personal tribute page for people to share memories as well as details of the funeral service for others to view.
Charities across the South East which have benefited include: The Rowans Hospice in Waterlooville, Hampshire, which has been given over £20,000; Farnham-based Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice, which received almost £12,000; and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, which received over £3,000.
National charities benefiting include Macmillan Cancer Support, British Heart Foundation, Parkinson’s UK, Alzheimer’s Society, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Cancer Research UK.
Steve Pearce, chief operating officer, End of Life Services at Southern, said: “We are constantly trying to improve our services and find that this way of remembering a loved one is very effective. Being able to raise money in memory of a friend or family member gives people the opportunity to give something back and say thank you to charities that have helped them.”
Meanwhile, the co-op’s head office team based at Lakeside, Portsmouth, have raised over £1,300 in just two months for their new Winchester-based charity partner, Naomi House & Jacksplace, hospices for children and young people.
Efforts include cake sales, a 14.81 mile sponsored walk around the perimeter of Portsmouth, boot camp exercise training sessions as well as selling charity Christmas cards to raise funds.
Chief executive Mark Smith: “The head office and retail store teams have pulled out all the stops to raise funds for this great charity and it’s been wonderful to see such creativity and energy put into fundraising here as well as in our other stores across the south, this year.”
- Charities and community groups can apply for cash donations or goods in kind through the society’s Love Your Neighbourhood scheme, funded by the 5p single-use carrier bag levy.
