Latest News
Trust Announces Two New Nominated Charities for 2012We are very excited to announce that the Trustees have chosen,
Children's Emergency Care UHNS (Cheethams) and the inshore lifeboat association '
SARA', to be additional charities nominated to received grant funds from Daisychain Benevolent Fund Trust. Along with our continued partnership with
Macmillan Cancer Support, this makes the new line up of organisations that provide help to the communities they serve. There are many new projects that are being developed with the nominated charities, which will require a significant input from Daisychain Benevolent Fund. Much more news to follow!!!
For further information about the organisations, please click on 'Our Nominated Charities' page
Christmas Tree Festival at Worcester Cathedral
To get us all in the festive spirit, Daisychain Benevolent Fund along with Worcester Cathedral are to run a glittering Christmas tree event this year. The event is being sponsored by local businesses and organisations to ensure that the Cathedral cloisters twinkles with a collection of decorated trees. Entry is free, however we would appreciate a donation being made towards the charities being supported. It's set to be a wonderful experience in a truely fantastic setting. The event starts on the 8th December and runs right through to January 4th. So come down to Worcester and see the wonderful Cathedral and maybe have a mince pie and hot drink from the the coffee shop whilst exploring the avenue of trees!
NEWS UPDATE
We are please to report that the event was a complete success, with lots of terrific comments from visitors. As a result the event raised nearly £3,000 which is a marvelous result.
As such we have decided to repeat the event for Christmas 2012, so if you are a business that would like to benefit from the huge publicity generated and at the same time support some good causes, then please contact us for a free information pack.
Special Appeal for Your Support.
Daisychain Benevolent Fund has over the years assisted many life supporting activities within the community from buying vital equipment for air ambulances to funding children's bereavement counselling. In order to continue we need your help. We have now registered with
JustTextGiving, which allows people to make a donation of £2 by just texting DBFT212 to the number 70070. We get 100% of the donation and you can even Gift Aid the amount. Every donation makes a real difference, so please Text today. Thank you.
Macmillan (Derbyshire) Celebrates £15,000 Grant Award at Coffee Morning.
The Macmillan fundraising team at Derbyshire raised a toast at their recent coffee morning planning meeting for the funds received from the Trust. The meeting was attended by the Mayor of Derby along with many of the cancer charities supporters during which Steve Loane, the Area Fundraiser for Macmillan Cancer Support, thanked the Trust and particular the volunteers and staff of the local Littleoever Shop for the £15,130.
£97,000 Grant to Midlands Air Ambulance will help pay for Specific Projects in 2011Some of the staff and volunteers from the Worcester and Malvern shops went to the Midlands Air Ambulance valuation day to present a cheque for over £97,000.
Henry Sandon was present at the event and even valued some of the more unusual donations that had been kindly donated. We also got to see a real 'This is your Life' album that was presented to Henry.
Greg Rowe Chairman and Finance Director of Daisychain Benevolent Fund said,' All our staff and volunteers have worked very hard to ensure that they raise as much as possible from each donation that comes through the shops doors. We are therefore once again thrilled to be able to issue such a significant amount to the Midlands Air Ambulance.
The Trustees were keen that the money be used to help maintain helicopter bases, renew equipment and fund rescue missions and we are delighted that this will be so.'
Macmillan (Gloucestershire) Thrilled with £48,510 Grant Donation
It was a lovely summer evening when teams from the two Gloucestershire shops came together to present a cheque for £48,510 to the Gloucestershire Branch of the Macmillan Cancer Support Charity. Jon Rayner, Area Fundraiser for Macmillan was astonished with the size of the donation and was thrill beyond belief. He gave his sincere thanks and explained to all present how the money would go to support many people living with cancer in the county, including training and support for Macmillan Nurses and development of the information centres
Davina Roberts, Director of Retail Operations for Daisychain Benevolent Fund also express her gratitude for all the hard work from the volunteers and staff at both the shops at Bishops Cleeve and Bath Road, Cheltenham, as well as the Head Office team.
Pictured above, the teams from both the Bishops Cleeve shop and the Cheltenham shop.Pictured right, Greg Rowe (Finance Director and Chairman of Daisychain Benevolent Fund), Hilary Al Rasheed (Area Chair for Macmillan), Davina Roberts (Operations Director Daisychain Benevolent Fund) and Jon Rayner (Area Fundraiser for Macmillan)
Bookshop Joins In With Successful Festival Event
THE first ever Worcestershire Literary Festival was a huge success – and there are already bookings for next year.The festival ended on Monday night after 10 days packed with events
across the county for people of all ages and literary tastes.And it has not only attracted people from all over the world but also
revealed the huge amount of talent Worcestershire has been hiding.
Children’s author Karen King, left, visited the Daisy Chain Benevolent
Fund book shop in St John’s, to read to local children. She is pictured
with four-year-old Darcie Priest and her aunt Lynne Cox, a volunteer in
the shop and with children
Unlock the fundraising potential stored in the back of your drawers.Starting this summer, Daisychain Benevolent Fund will launch an innovative recycling campaign in order to help raise vital funds. Everyone is urged to look through their drawers and cupboards, digging out those unwanted keys that have been laying around for months, if not years. Daisychain Benevolent Fund is able to convert any unwanted keys to cash and therefore help in its goal of assisting people in need of medical care through its nominated charities.
Please help by taking your keys to the nearest shop, details of which at listed on this site under 'Shop Locations'.
Remember any type of key can be donated.
Plague of House to House Textile Collections?
We all have had on a regular basis, charity bags put through our doors. Some of these are run by and for established Charities supplying their own shops. This is a vital source of stock for their shops and enables them to raise thousands of pounds each year.
Increasingly however, clothing collections run by textile merchants themselves for the benefit of good causes are becoming widespread. So do these offer the same good value for your donation? These seem to suggest that a generous amount is raised for good causes or may seem to indicate that the clothing is used by the Charity itself to sell in their charity shops. However please read these bags carefully, as this is usually not the case. The clothing is actually sold and exported to Eastern European countries and/or other continents, with only a tiny value of your donation, (as little as 50p for every bag), given to the Charity. In addition as textile merchants are only interested in your clothing, any donated bric a brac, books, cd, toys etc are discarded.
Macmillan so very grateful for the support given.
It was a fine sunny day when Macmillan Cancer Support visited us to receive their cheque for £22,402. Davina Roberts, Director of Operations for Daisychain Benevolent Fund (pictured center), said, 'As with all the organisations we have helped, it has been a difficult period for fundraising this last year. That is why it is so important that we succeed and make the most from the stock donations we receive'.Macmillan Cancer Support, do not operate their own chain of fund raising shops. The money you helped us raise, will go to support those living with cancer in the areas of Derbyshire and Gloucestershire, where our shops are located. Check out our 'Shop Locations' page.
Midlands Air Ambulance Thrilled With £83,600 Donation!
Hannah Sebright CEO of Midlands Air Ambulance receiving the donation cheque from Greg Rowe, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Daisychain Benevolent Fund Trust. Also present was Davina Roberts (Trustee) far right and Annie Newell (Regional Fundraiser MAA) far left.
Everyone from the Midlands Air Ambulance was flying high after we presented our donation of £83,600! Greg Rowe (Director and Trustee) said, 'This cheque along with our other grants to the Macmillan Cancer Support, once again shows the hard work that staff and volunteers put into operating the shops every week. We are thrilled to be able to continue our support for the Midlands Air Ambulance which has helped keep this vital service airborne.'
New Online Shop Launched
Daisychain Benevolent Fund has now launched its newest venture, their very own Online Shopping Experience! The site contains lots of products from Handmade Soaps & Scented Oils, Ladies Designer Clothing, New Jewellery, to commissioning your very own piece of Art!
..........Happy Shopping........
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO BE TRANSFERED NOW
Local Garden Party Raises £645
Many supporters came to the garden party last Saturday held at one of our volunteers own home. The sun shone and tea and cakes were consumed whilst people looked at the numerous stalls and plants. At the end of the day they had taken nearly £650 for the Trust, which supports the Midlands Air Ambulance and Macmillan Cancer Support. Well done to everyone involved on the day, what an amazing result!
Blooms Garden Centre Support Blossoms
Blooms garden centre in Cheltenham, has agreed to locate one of our bookcases on site.
The bookcase is regularly filled with popular fiction and reference books to tempt customers to have a good read after a busy day gardening! Minimum donation is just £1 and has certainly become very popular. If you know of anywhere that would also like to get involved then please contact Davina at Head Office on 01905 739087 ext 201.
NEWS UPDATE: Thanks to our growing supporters we also now have bookcases at,
Davids Garden Centre at Martin Hussingtree,
Wyevale Garden Centre in Hereford,
Findern Garden Centre in Derby.
Crowning Hat At The Palace A Real Find At Our Shop!
'It was the biggest hat at the Palace that day', said Karen Hawkins (far right), who was there at the investiture at Buckingham Palace. Karen, who had nominated a gentleman for his voluntary work with young people, was desperate to find a matching hat for her outfit. Our shop at Bishop's Cleeve, Gloucestershire came to the rescue and certainly came up trumps.
Congratulations to all concerned!!
Charity shop appeals for clothes to sell
A CHARITY shop in Malvern that raises money for the Midlands Air Ambulance is issuing its own call for help.
The Daisychain Benevolent Fund Shop in Barnards Green is looking for donations of goods to sell, and volunteers to help sell them.
The shop, which is just off the roundabout in the Green, was set up especially to raise money for the air ambulance, which is funded exclusively by public donations.
Shop manager Liz Dickinson-Hawkett said: "We want more donations of goods to allow us to keep up our good work.
"What we want most of all is ladies, gents and children's winter clothing, but also we'd welcome donations of gifts, toys and bric-a-brac.
"If you've got things that you don't need after Christmas, don't throw them in the bin and let them go to landfill, but bring them to us.
"We'd also like volunteers who can come in on Thursdays, Fridays and alternate Saturdays.”
Anyone who can help, or who has goods to donate, is urged to visit the shop or call on 01684 577575.
Cheltenham volunteers demand your denim
The Daisychain Benevolent Fund has launched an appeal for jackets, jeans and other items of denim-wear to raise money for two local causes. Money raised from the sales will be split between McMillan Cancer Care and the Midlands Air Ambulance. Staff at the shops, which works to raise
money for a number of charitable causes , are hoping the scheme will raise hindreds of pounds. Deputy Manager Debbie Jones from the Cheltenham Shop said: "It's a vital time of year for these two causes. Neither of them have shops of their own so we are pleased to be doing our bit to support them".
Rugby star Luke, helps to kick off Charity Book
RUGBY star Luke Narraway returned home to Worcester to help launch a charity cook book.The Cook Book, priced £3.99, is a collection of recipes contributed by members of the St John’s community. Sales of the book will raise funds for the Midlands Air Ambulance and Macmillan Cancer Support.Gloucester and England flanker Luke visited The Daisychain Benevolent Fund book shop in St John’s yesterday to help launch the book. Mr Narraway, a former King’s School pupil, said he was proud to be able to help.“I grew up in St John’s and there is really good community spirit around here. There always has been,” said the 26-year-old.“My dad runs the butcher’s shop a few doors down from here and he told me all about The Cook Book. “I think it is a fantastic idea and was happy to come down to help support it. It is always good to come to St John’s to try to give a little bit back.” Shop manager Lesley Ponsford said: “We have all thoroughly enjoyed putting together the recipe book.“It is the first time we have taken on such a challenge and hope that we will sell many copies to raise lots of money for our nominated charities.”
You can also purchase The Cook Book online here on our website for £4.99 including P&P. Please see our 'Online Shop' page.
Charity's £5k Funds Success
A SIX-MONTH drive of selling unwanted clothes, gifts and bric-a-brac has seen a Littleover charity shop raise £5,000.
The Daisychain Benevolent Fund store, in Burton Road, presented a giant cheque to the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance after choosing to raise money for charity in April.
It follows a £3,750 donation the Littleover shop made to Macmillan Cancer Support last month after three months of fund-raising.
Shop manager Nicki Astle said: "We are really pleased the public helped us to raise this amount for these vital services. It is also great that people continue to support Daisychain by donating items so generously." Daisychain director Greg Rowe said: "The staff at our Littleover shop have worked hard to raise these funds."
Life Saving Donation of £93,000
CITY shoppers have helped charity shop workers hand over £93,250 to a life-saving air ambulance.
Volunteers at the Daisychain Benevolent Fund, which has shops in St John’s in Worcester, Evesham and Barnards Green, Malvern, collected the cash for Midlands Air Ambulance.
Lynne Shergold, clothing shop manager for St John’s, is just one of the team of dedicated volunteers who have done their bit for the charity.She said: “Everything we sell goes to charity. Despite the recession everyone is still giving generously. It hasn’t really affected us.” The benevolent fund is now looking for a High Street partner which can supply its shops across the Midlands with end-of-line goods, free of charge, which can then be sold to benefit its charities.
If you can help, contact the clothing shop on 01905 739087.
Sport sale is right on the wicket for air ambulance charity
A CHARITY shop in Worcester is celebrating the start of the cricket season by auctioning a bat signed by Australian fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath.Daisychain Bookshop, at 39 St Johns, has also been displaying more than 100 cricket books as well as the unique bat which is also signed by a number of Worcerstershire players past and present.Famous names on it include Vikram Solanki, David Leatherdale, Ryan Driver, Gavin Haynes, Phil Weston and Duncan Catterell. Bids for the bat, which was given to the shop by an anonymous donor, must be entered by Saturday and the winner will be announced on Monday.
Henry will open a new chapter at book shop
TELEVISION star and antiques expert Henry Sandon is to open a bookshop in Worcester.
Mr Sandon will be at the Daisychain Benevolent Fund book store in St John's, to do the honours at 11am on Thursday, February 2, when it reopens after a re-fit.
The shop, which raises money for the County Air Ambulance, has been closed for the past fortnight for the refurbishment to go ahead.
Davina Roberts, director of Daisychain, said she was excited about the day, and was happy Mr Sandon had agreed to go along and help them.
Miss Roberts added: "We have had some kind donations, including book cases and we were long overdue for the re-fit."
Daisychain's fund-raising efforts mean comfort for grieving children
CHILDREN who have lost a mum, dad or sibling will be able to go on a residential weekend to help them grieve, thanks to generous donations from people and businesses in and around Worcester.
The Noah's Ark Trust, which is based in the city and offers bereavement support to youngsters, recently received a £13,000 cheque from the St John's charity, the Daisychain Benevolent Fund, which has been raising funds for Noah's Ark. It will go towards the cost of one of Noah's Ark's regular residential weekends at the Malvern Hills Outdoor Centre, where children who have been bereaved receive counselling, speak about their feelings, meet other youngsters who have been similarly affected and make friends. It costs £5,000 for each child to attend.
Noah's Ark spokeswoman Mary Irish said: "Without the help of people like Daisychain in the community we couldn't offer our services free of charge. "The weekends we organise are very emotional, but it's just amazing to see how much they help the children. We're very grateful for all the support that we get."