Carpetright, the UK flooring and beds specialist, has selected the British Heart Foundation (BHF) as its chosen charity partner for the next two years. The launch event, which took place on the 3rd March 2017, was superheroes-themed and saw colleagues at both the Stores Support Office in Purfleet and in stores nationwide getting dressed up to raise cash.
The retailer, which has over 420 stores is looking to raise at least £250,000 in the first year, and then to significantly increase the target in the second year once the partnership is established, to help fund life saving research into heart disease.
The partnership, which will be largely centred on colleague fundraising, will see Carpetright employees getting involved in many of the BHF’s signature events such as ‘Wear it. Beat it’ and ‘Bag it. Beat it’ and being sponsored for various sporting challenges, bake sales and other community initiatives. It will also see the well-known brand selling BHF pin-badges, installing collections bins in stores for customers to donate unwanted items, and inviting colleagues to donate monthly via Payroll Giving.
Alongside fundraising, all 2000+ Carpetright employees will be trained on how to perform CPR, as part of the BHF’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign - a nationwide initiative to ensure all young people and adults learn the life saving CPR skills they need to intervene when someone suffers a cardiac arrest.
Wilf Walsh, CEO at Carpetright, says: “I’m really pleased to welcome the British Heart Foundation as our charity partner. Through fundraising and awareness events we will help fund vital research to discover better ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating heart and circulatory disease. It’s our aim to raise £250,000 in the first year and it’s my hope that we’ll beat this target comprehensively.”
James Hails, head of corporate partnerships at the BHF, says: “Heart disease devastates the lives of millions of people across the UK and throughout the world. From babies born with congenital heart conditions to grandparents living with heart failure, too many people are needlessly dying every day.
“We urgently need to do more. The BHF is leading the fight against heart disease through ground-breaking research. Every pound raised throughout this incredible partnership with Carpetright will help make a difference to the seven million people living each day with the terrible burden of heart and circulatory disease, as well as the millions of families if affects.”
