Making a Difference – Locally Donates £25k to Age Concern and Help the Aged

02/03/2010

The Making a Difference – Locally (MADL) charity has donated £25,000 to Age Concern and Help the Aged which will be used to sponsor its Club Grants 2010 project. The MADL charity was formed in May 2008 with the intention of assisting more than 2,000 independent retailers throughout the UK with raising money for their local communities. The charity was created by Nisa-Today’s and Costcutter Supermarkets and the stores participating in the scheme are all members of Nisa-Today’s or independent retailers who are part of the Costcutter Supermarkets Group.

Angela Barber, MADL Board representative said “Choosing which national charities to support through MADL has been an extremely difficult process as there are so many good causes all worthy of our help. Age Concern and Help the Aged is an organisation that does great work with older people in communities across the UK. There is increased awareness of the importance of providing support for this sector of the community. Many of the stores taking part in MADL provide a valuable service for older people both in terms of meeting their shopping needs but also in providing a sense of community through their charitable activity. We know this money will be put to very good use by Age Concern and Help the Aged, making a difference to countless peoples’ lives in communities across the country and that is what the charity is all about.”

Heléna Herklots, Services director, from Age Concern and Help the Aged said “We are delighted that Club Grant 2010 is being supported by Making a Difference - Locally. Through their support we will be able to offer out grants of up to £500 to pay for equipment for older people’s groups across the UK. The funding can be used by clubs to purchase equipment or facilities that will improve the wellbeing of older people attending those groups, for example new kitchen or exercise equipment. Thousand of older people will benefit from these grants."

The MADL charity works by a specified amount of the cost of certain products promoted instore being allocated to a retailer’s MADL charity fund. For example, this month for every box of Weetabix Minis purchased in store 3p of the sale will go into the retailer’s MADL fund. Numerous products are promoted in this way each month. The store’s MADL fund is then donated to the retailer’s chosen charity.