Big hearted businesses and customers at a shopping centre did their bit to help staff at a womenswear store raise cash for people affected by breast cancer.
The sales team at Dorothy Perkins in Eagles Meadow in Wrexham organised a special fundraising evening for their official partner charity, Breast Cancer Care.
And to make sure the event was a big hit, staff at other stores in the centre pulled out all the stops to contribute prizes ranging from beauty products to champagne to the grand raffle.
On the night they raised an impressive £150 and the Dorothy Perkins team are banking on doubling this figure after a further fundraiser at the store when they dressed up pretty in pink to help persuade customers to contribute.
Manager Melanie Rogers said: “As a group, Dorothy Perkins has been the official partner of Breast Cancer Care for the past decade with the aim of uniting staff and customers and encouraging them to get behind a cause they feel really passionate about.
“In that time we’ve managed to raise an amazing £3 million for the charity, through celebrity clothing and accessory ranges, customers donating at till-points and energetic in-store fundraising.
“As October has been breast cancer awareness month, we’ve been doing as much as we can to support the cause.
“We started off with a special evening when we closed the store and invited about 30 of our customers and friends to enjoy some expert beauty demonstrations.
“Members of the staff served tea and coffee and a highlight of the night was a big raffle for which the prizes had been donated by our friends at many of the other businesses in Eagles Meadow.
“They were incredibly generous and among other things, we had a large scented candle from Mococo jewellers, some lovely ear-rings from the centre’s other jewellers F Hinds, cinema tickets from the Odeon, bowling sessions from Ten Pin, champagne and shortbreads from Marks & Spencer, beauty products from Debenhams, coffee from Starbucks and vouchers from the Gozo Men salon.
“All these fantastic prizes helped make the raffle very attractive and we managed to raise £150 from the night for which we are very grateful.”
But the store’s support for Breast Cancer Care didn’t end there because the team threw open the fundraising to all its customers by hosting a Pink Friday which was another resounding success, according to Melanie.
She said: “All the sales staff entered into the spirit of things by wearing their Breast Cancer Care pink t-shirts and there were buckets for the cash donations.
“We also had another raffle in which the prizes were a selection of chocolates all donated by members of our team.
“We’re still totalling up the donations but we should easily have made £300 from the event and I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped us make such a great sum.
“Breast cancer seems to affect the lives of so many people these days that it’s great to be able to do something to support a charity that helps in so many ways.”
Breast Cancer Care provides information on living with and beyond cancer.
It also offers emotional and practical support through its services and helpline, campaigns for improvement in standards of support and care and also promotes the importance of breast cancer early detection.
Eagles Meadow manager Kevin Critchley: “I’d like to congratulate the team at Dorothy Perkins for raising money in aid of this worthwhile cause.
“It comes as no surprise that the stores here have been so generous in their support because Eagles Meadow is full of lovely people.”
