Proud to have raised over £13,200 for our 2023 Charity of the Year, Dove House Hospice!

Some of our team with Dove House Hospice Corporate Fundraiser, Jonny Bottomley (second from right), celebrating a total of over £13,200 raised from our 2023 Charity of the Year Campaign.

By delivering a sustained campaign of Society donations, fundraising, volunteering and PR, Beverley Building Society is proud to have raised over £13,200 to help Dove House Hospice support people with life-limiting illnesses and their families across our region.

So exactly how did we do it?

Society donations included purchasing urgently needed equipment, with fundraising initiatives comprising ‘dress down Fridays’ a book exchange, Easter Egg Appeal, Coronation cupcakes, and a BBS in Bloom promotion where customers donated and purchased plants. There was also a phenomenally successful Exercise Bike Challenge, which due to the incredible generosity of local people and match-funding by the Society generated over £2,500 for Hospice care.

We also match-funded our team’s entry at the Hull 10K in support of the Hospice and in Dove House’s own It’s A Knockout event last summer. Staff embraced volunteering days at a Hospice Friends Group and retail outlets and contributed via regular giving. Fundraising activities were marketed here and through social media and our local press. In a wonderful finale to the Campaign, we were delighted to sponsor the Charity’s Volunteer Afternoon Tea in December, in celebration of the incredible work of the 900-strong volunteer army that help to keep the organization running.

Why was our Campaign so important to Dove House Hospice?

Dove House Hospice is a charity that has delivered a vital service to the people of Hull and East Riding for over 40 years. Sadly, only 10% of Hospice funding comes from the government, which covers less than 40 days annual running costs so, as the Hospice relies on community support, we were delighted to adopt them as our 2023 Charity of the Year. The Hospice provides expert specialist care to adults living with progressive life limiting diseases and their families in our region. Illnesses include, but are not limited to, cancer, neurological illnesses, heart diseases and respiratory diseases.

Society Chief Executive Officer, Janet Bedford added: “Giving back to our local community is part of the Society’s founding values and is a commitment that we continue to maintain. Dove House Hospice provides a vital service within our region, so I’m delighted that we have been able to make such a contribution. It demonstrates the generosity of our local community and just shows what we can achieve. I am proud of a wonderful team effort and would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported our 2023 Charity of the Year Campaign to help us exceed our target, we could not have done it without you.”

Beverley Building Society’s Marketing Manager, Debbie Connolly told us: “The sheer variety of Dove House Hospice’s work means there are lots of ways in which businesses and individuals can support them and Jonny and the entire team were an absolute pleasure to work with. It’s been a privilege to raise funds and awareness for such an important cause and we all had great fun in the process.

In conclusion, Dove House Hospice Corporate Fundraiser, Jonny Bottomley said: We could not be more pleased with how our partnership with Beverley Building Society has gone this last year. From a fundraising perspective, having a reputable company like Beverley Building Society championing our cause to their customers has been invaluable.

The money raised will have a huge impact on maintaining and growing the services we provide to help care for those with life limiting illnesses and to support their families. Without support from local businesses like Beverley Building Society, their staff, and the local community, we would not be in a position to serve our community when they need us most. In addition to raising an incredible amount, the Beverley Society team has embraced what it means to have a Charity of the Year. Firstly, the staff at the branch have been incredible. They enthusiastically got involved with everything and made a real difference to the success of all the fundraising activities.

The major overlapping value which Beverley Building Society shares with Dove House is community focus and this value resonated with the local community. I saw firsthand how people would cross the road on a rainy day in October to have a chat with staff, while cycling for the Bike Challenge, when they saw they were raising Monday for Dove House. The event, along with all other activities experienced in person or communicated online, clearly demonstrated to the people of Beverley and beyond that Beverley Building Society are a business who cares for and gives back to the community.

Make sure to keep an eye on social media to see what exciting developments we have planned for 2024!