Meadowhall shopping centre has announced that the annual Christmas giving box will become permanent to help Sheffield’s charities.
The box enables shoppers to donate directly to The Children’s Hospital Charity, St Luke’s Hospice, Sheffield Mind and Age UK Sheffield.
Lindsay Doyle-Price who is Business Development Manager at Sheffield Mind said: “We do not have a big fundraising team so initiatives like this one are very helpful.
“We are grateful that they have decided to keep the box to try and generate additional support for the charities featured, we are lucky to be one of them.”
She believes that the pandemic has brought even more challenges for charities due to people struggling with living in lockdown: “There has been an increase in people feeling isolated and lonely which has in turn led to a deterioration of existing mental health issues or caused increased levels of anxiety
“People were struggling with the physical limitations of lockdown,” she added.
“People were frightened and many were angry as they could do nothing to alter the course of events and there was no definitive end meaning that many people felt as if in limbo.”
The box will also help raise awareness for the charities involved with customers to over 290 stores visiting the Meadowhall every day.
Lindsay Doyle-Price was thankful for this awareness: “We can encourage people to donate via our website but we don’t have the resources to mount a public campaign of this scale in such a prominent place.”
The giving box has raised almost £2,000 for the charities involved and customers can donate £1, £3 or £5 to any of the four charities involved via contactless payment.
Darren Pearce, centre director at Meadowhall said: “Our visitors have always been excellent at helping us to provide essential support to our local community, and we’re thrilled that shoppers are able to continue supporting these great causes quickly and safely when they come to Meadowhall.
“Donations are vital in ensuring the great work these charities are doing can continue so we’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our customers for their support.”
Meadowhall reopened its doors to visitors last week after lockdown restrictions were eased to allow non-essential shops to open.
