Your Shopping Bag is Empty
Culture
COMING TOGETHER
The past year has been tough on us all but perhaps the most significantly hit was the charity sector. The pandemic brought a sudden end to bucket collections, coffee mornings, sponsored runs and all the other community fundraisers that charities heavily rely on.
Even with traditional fundraising methods on pause for the best part of a year, the need for charitable efforts still prevailed. As one of our core business values, we support the local communities our business operates in through charity fundraising and volunteering. And in light of the events of the past sixteen months, our teams came together in an effort to find new ways to give back to our communities and lend support to those who need it most.
Last year, we raised €70,000 and donated over 15,000 (including toys, beauty products, medical gloves, electrical goods, duvets, blankets) units of product worth €36,000 to various charities and hospitals across the country.
In January alone, we donated over 400 goodie bags to hospitals and charities across the country. Not stopping there, we have continued our efforts to give back even more. From taking part in viral challenges to walking to Australia and back, here are just some of the ways we have given back this year…
DARKNESS INTO LIGHT
The annual Darkness Into Light fundraiser in aid of Pieta is usually a chance to rally together and do something positive for those impacted by suicide. While the lockdown restrictions earlier this year meant the typical walking events around the country were cancelled, over 130 team members from across our business took on the Jerusalema Challenge raising vital funds for the organisation. Through this effort, we have raised over €40,000 for Pieta.
I was really passionate about how people were feeling during the lockdown, it wasn’t easy for a lot of people. Because of this, I really wanted to get involved in Darkness into Light. My background is in competitive dancing, that’s what I did before I joined the Brown Thomas team and I am such a team player so for me to do what I love as part of this initiative was just joyous. The challenge brought us all together, there was laughter, there was fun but with a huge meaning behind it. I am so proud to be a part of it and to raise money for such an amazing cause.
Angela Daly, Personal Shopper, Brown Thomas Grafton Street.
Team members from BT Galway taking the plunge for our 'Get Active Your Way' Challenge
GET ACTIVE YOUR WAY CHALLENGE
Back in February 2021, one of our charity partners, the Children’s Health Foundation Crumlin (CHF) tasked the public with a ‘150km Your Way’ challenge. In support of their initiative, we launched a ‘Get Active Your Way’ campaign across our business. From sea-plunges, step challenges and classes, our team members walked a grand total of 45 million steps for the CHF - that’s enough to walk to Australia and back! Through this effort, we raised over €9,300 for the charity.
Being a mother myself, I know that one of the greatest fears a parent has is that someday we may need the services of the Children’s Health Foundation. It was greatly rewarding for my team and I at Brown Thomas Galway to get involved with the Children’s Health Foundation. We supported them by raising vital funds for the tireless lifesaving work they do every minute of each day. We collaborated with our local community to reach our fundraising goal using our store and social platform. It was heartening to see so many get involved to support this cause. I wish to thank our brilliant team and community for stepping up to the cause, most especially in a time that has presented more challenges for us all.
Marilyn Gallagher, General Manager, Brown Thomas Galway
The Positive Spaces Exhibition located in Hugo Browns restaurant on Level 3
POSITIVE SPACES
In light of our restaurants being closed due to lockdown restrictions, we decided to utilise the space by giving it to a cause who really needed it. In May 2021, The Positive Space, in association with the Gallery of Photography Ireland, partnered with Brown Thomas to bring customers an exclusive photography exhibition displaying works from some of Ireland’s most talented photographers. In 2020, the first edition of The Positive Space filled unused poster sites in Dublin city centre, when the live events sector, exhibitions, theatre, and concerts were cancelled at the outset of the pandemic. Presenting an exhibition of nomadic photography responding to empty spaces, The Positive Space offered visual beauty for moments of reflection and joy. At a time of intense stress, fear, and worry, it was important to bring colour, joy, and vibrancy back to our customers by using images by some of Ireland’s most captivating photography artists. A portion of proceeds from each sale in the exhibition was donated to our charity partner Saint Vincent De Paul.
MORE TO READ
In each of our Brown Thomas and BT2 stores, you’ll find Tap to Donate stations where customers can ‘tap’ in support of St. Vincent de Paul. Find out what else is in-store in Summer Loading…