January 24, 2014 8.34 am This story is over 122 months old

Lincolnshire Co-op raise £114k for local charity

When you wish upon a star: Lincolnshire Co-op staff managed to raise more than £113k for a local children’s charity.

Hundreds of wishes will come true for poorly children thanks to Lincolnshire Co-op staff, who’ve raised £113,867 for a local charity.

When You Wish Upon a Star aims to make dreams come true for children aged 2 to 16 who are suffering from life threatening or terminal illnesses.

Throughout 2013, 2,700 Co-op colleagues took part in activities to boost funds for the regional branch of the charity, which helps children across the society’s trading area.

Some 22 staff took part in a fire and glass walk with Emmerdale actress Alicya Eyo raising £3,500.

Customers donated clothes to Salvation Army recycling banks at Lincolnshire Co-op outlets, adding £19,000 to the total, and staff who gave the ‘odd pence’ of their wage to the fund raised £1,200.

A competition to win a getaway to Cyprus, provided by Classic Collection Holidays, saw wishing wells visit 50 Lincolnshire Co-op outlets around the county raising £4,000.

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Member Engagement Manager Richard Whittaker, Lincolnshire Co-op’s President Malcolm Hoskins, Emma Smith, Callum Smith, 11, When You Wish Upon A Star’s Regional Fundraising Manager Joanne Heywood and Lincolnshire Co-op’s Birchwood Community Liaison Representative Jo Richardson. Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Member Engagement Manager Richard Whittaker, Lincolnshire Co-op’s President Malcolm Hoskins, Emma Smith, Callum Smith, 11, When You Wish Upon A Star’s Regional Fundraising Manager Joanne Heywood and Lincolnshire Co-op’s Birchwood Community Liaison Representative Jo Richardson. Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op

A child’s wish can be anything from riding in a fast car to owning an iPad or visiting Disneyland.

The total raised by Lincolnshire Co-op will enable many of these wishes to be granted – £300 pays for a youngster to meet their favourite star while £12,000 will allow 15 children and their parents to go on the charity’s annual trip to Lapland.

When You Wish Upon A Star’s Regional Fundraising Manager Joanne Heywood said: “It is an absolutely incredible amount and we are over the moon about what this will help us achieve.

“Every October we have to pause wish requests because of the work and funds that the Lapland trip requires, so we already have wishes waiting that amount to over £60,000. Now we can immediately start work to bring these about.

“This year we’re chartering the Orient Express Northern Belle for a specially themed Harry Potter trip to the Warner Brothers Studios costing around £75,000. Aside from all the individual wishes, we also need £90,000 to secure the Lapland trip in December.

“The funds raised by Lincolnshire Co-op will make a huge difference. We hope that with the continued support of the local community and businesses, more children and families than ever before will benefit from having special wishes come true. We would like to thank all the staff and customers at Lincolnshire Co-op for this incredible gift to our children.”

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Member Engagement Manager Richard Whittaker said: “Our staff, customers and members threw themselves into fundraising which was great to see.

“We’re thrilled with the total we’ve raised together and hope this money will go a long way towards making even more wishes come true for sick children in our area.”