Royal Mail staff to deliver first class fundraiser

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Eight members of staff from the Northern Ireland Mail Centre in Mallusk are to take over the running of the Action Cancer Shop in Ballyclare.

The Royal Mail Charity Shop Challenge team are taking over at the store on Thursday (September 19) for one day only.

The mail centre staff are aiming to raise as much money as possible for Action Cancer as they take on teams from firms such as ASDA and BT in an Apprentice-style challenge.

The competition, organised by Business in the Community, will see employees from a number of businesses put their entrepreneurial skills to the test by taking over the running of an Action Cancer shop for the day.

The team with the highest percentage sales increase will be the overall challenge winner, but the judges will also score the teams on how they have marketed the shop, the number of volunteers recruited and bags of sellable goods donated as well as more creative elements such as window displays.

Last year 14 companies competed and raised almost £40,000 for Marie Curie in one day.

Mail centre team leader, Kelly Tagg said the Ballyclare store will be decked out in a Royal Mail theme and there will be a number of special visitors on the day, including Postman Pat.

“We are running two in-store promotions,” she explained. “Our first 50 customers will get a free gift. These are made up of collectors’ First Day Covers of stamps covering various themes, from Roald Dahl to vintage cars and are worth around £10 each. Also, a solicitors firm from Ballyclare, J W McNinch & Sons, have donated 10 free will writings worth more than £75 each.”

She continued: “Everyone who spends £5 or more will be entered into a prize draw for several fantastic prizes including an overnight stay for two in the Hilton Templepatrick with breakfast, an iPod Nano, a magnum bottle of Moet champagne, a £25 Gail Conway Boutique voucher, a voucher for Strands hairdressers and more.”

As part of their fundraising efforts, the team held a cake and bun sale at the mail centre at the end of August. Sales of tasty treats provided by staff members, family and friends raised the grand sum of £270.

Other money making initiatives delivered by the postal workers included a ‘bucket collection’ at the Mallusk sorting centre which raised £455 and a hamper raffle across all Royal Mail employees in Northern Ireland.

Following their day’s trading at the Action Cancer shops, each team will have to submit a two page sustainability report and a two minute video showcasing their journey. All the submissions will be judged by a panel from Business in the Community and Jim Eastwood of BBC Apprentice fame.

The winners will be announced following a final ‘boardroom showdown’ event at Cultra Manor on October 3.