National end-of-life charity Marie Curie has announced a three-year partnership with retailer Morrisons, through which it aims to raise £15m.
Morrisons will launch the partnership with various fundraising activities with its staff and customers including fundraising and collections in its supermarkets over the Christmas period.
A percentage of proceeds from some Morrisons products including its Christmas sandwiches and Rudi the Reindeer range of items will go to Marie Curie as well.
The retailer chose Marie Curie from more than 100 other charities to be its national partner.
Matthew Reed, chief executive of Marie Curie, said: “We are thrilled to announce our new national charity partnership with Morrisons.
“We aim to raise over £15m over three years which is a first for us through a charity partnership.
“Our ambition is to help more local communities and families receive the best end-of-life care possible, whatever the illness, wherever they are.”
Rami Baitiéh, CEO of Morrisons, said: “I am delighted that Morrisons will be partnering with Marie Curie for the next three years.
“Our partnership will fund improvements to Marie Curie hospices across the country, create more moments that matter for those living with terminal illness and help fund more Marie Curie nurses in local communities.”
Government support for hospices expected before Christmas
Marie Curie recently wrote to health secretary Wes Streeting that it would have to pay an additional £2.92m a year after a rise in employer national insurance contributions (NICs) was announced in the budget.
It is one of many hospices that has warned of the impact the tax rise will have when it is introduced next year.
The government has not announced any concessions for hospices or charities generally but Streeting told the BBC yesterday that he would announce details of further support for hospices before Christmas.
Umbrella body Hospice UK’s CEO Toby Porter welcomed Streeting’s pledge and said: “We look forward to working with the Department of Health and Social Care on the details.
“We will make the case that any short-term support must be accompanied by a commitment, via the ten-year plan for the NHS, to long-term reform to the way hospices are funded, and to the provision of palliative and end-of-life care across the country.”
