Press release -
Post Office launch as BBC Children in Need’s Official Cash Partner
- Post Office collected £871,521.60 for BBC Children in Need in the year to 30 June 2023
- Over 7,500 individual donations through almost 3,000 branches
- 95% of donations received (£828,689.15) were in cash, highlighting the vital role cash plays in supporting charities and good causes
- Almost 25% of the Post Office network received donations for BBC Children in Need
- Customers can donate to BBC Children in Need in any Post Office branch by cash, card or cheque
Post Office and BBC Children in Need have today announced that Post Office is the official cash partner of BBC Children in Need after collecting over £870,000 of customer donations for the charity last year, with 95% of the total coming in as cash across the counter (£828,689.15).
Post Office’s charitable donations facility helps BBC Children in Need ensure that every child and young person is given the support they need to thrive and be the best they can be. The reasons to support BBC Children in Need have never been stronger, with 4.2 million children living in poverty according to the ONS and over 1 million children receiving emergency food parcels from the Trussell Trust in the year to March 2023.
Both Post Office and BBC Children in Need have supported communities facing the rising cost of living with BBC Children in Need projects helping young people in every corner of the UK and Post Office’s 11,500 branches helping families claim financial support from government and charities.
Building on the success of last year when Post Office mobile branches supported BBC Children in Need’s community fundraising through their Rickshaw Challenge, this year Post Office is going even bigger and hitting the road in August with CarFest, the largest family fundraising festival in the UK. Post Office will also promote BBC Children in Need through the branch network in the run up to Appeal night on 17th November.
Post Office’s role in providing cash services to every community is growing each year, in June alone Post Offices handled £3.35bn of cash for customers and businesses in the UK. With customers increasingly relying on cash to help them to budget, donating notes and coins is a great way to make sure charities still get the vital funding they need to support their work. Customers can donate in branch by dropping off counted and bagged coins and notes, as well as by card or cheque, and almost everyone with a UK bank account can do their Everyday Banking over a Post Office counter.
Mark Cazaly, Head of Corporate Responsibility said:
“We are really proud to be the official cash partner for BBC Children in Need. Cash is playing an increasing role in helping families manage their budgets and the Everyday Banking services available to 99% of all UK banking customers at Post Offices, including the ability to withdraw the exact amount of cash they need, means everyone can help raise money for this vital charity. In fact, recent research showed 42% of the UK population donate to charities in cash and 1 in 3 people are using cash to help them manage their budgets so cash still has a really important role to play, even more so in light of the rising cost of living.
“We’re looking forward to getting stuck into the appeal this year and will be involved with a range of activities to help raise funds for BBC Children in Need in the run-up to Appeal night and make sure everyone knows they can drop off donations at their local Post Office.”
Claire Hoyle, Director of Income Generation, Marketing & Communications said:
“BBC Children in Need are delighted to be announcing Post Office as our official cash partner this year. We know that cash continues to play an important role in communities across the UK and are thrilled to be working with Post Office to ensure that it’s easier than ever for supporters to donate at their local branch. Our new partnership means that supporters can easily pay in their fundraising, or make a cash donation, to help children and young people across the UK to thrive and be the best they can be.”
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About the Post Office
- With over 11,500 branches, Post Office has the biggest retail network in the UK, with more branches than all the banks and building societies combined.
- Post Office is helping anyone who wants cash to get it whichever way is most convenient. Partnership with over 30 banks, building societies and credit unions means that 99% of UK bank customers can access their accounts at their Post Office.
- Cash withdrawals, deposits and balance enquiries can be made securely and conveniently over the counter at any Post Office; and the biggest investment by any organisation or company in the last decade is being made to safeguard 1,400 free-to-use ATMs across the UK.
- Post Office is simplifying its proposition for Postmasters with a focus on its cash and banking; mails and parcels; foreign exchange; and; bill payments services.
- Research has found that visits to the Post Office help drive another 400 million visitors to other shops, restaurants and local businesses equating to an estimated £1.1 billion in additional revenue for High Street businesses.
- 99.7% of the population live within three miles of a Post Office; and 4,000 branches are open seven days a week.
