Carers Trust and The Rank Group Plc (“Rank”) mark 10-year milestone of support for carers as funding partnership renewed

Carers Trust and Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos (part of Rank) are delighted to have extended their partnership into 2024, marking the 10th year of their vital work together supporting unpaid carers around the UK.

The partnership, which hits its ten-year milestone on 14th February 2024, has raised almost £3.5m in total and supported more than 13,600 carers so far.

Money raised through the partnership helps unpaid carers in a number of ways, including providing grants for them to buy household items like fridges and washing machines. With Carers Trust research showing almost two-thirds of unpaid carers have had to give up paid work or cut back on their hours, many would be otherwise unable to afford these items, which are vital to providing round-the-clock care.

Funds also go towards providing sorely-needed breaks for unpaid carers, allowing them a rare chance to relax and get respite from their day-to-day responsibilities.

Those who have benefited include Louise, 34, who has been a full-time carer for her mum, Lynda, since she was just 18. Lynda suffers from a range of conditions including asthma, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – a progressive lung disease that leaves her with breathing problems and makes everyday activities very difficult.

She said: “With so much to do with little money, small things going wrong can cause huge problems. Mum’s condition means we have to do a lot of clothes washing on a daily basis. So, when our washing machine started breaking down, we couldn’t afford to get it replaced and I was having to take Mum to the launderette in her wheelchair with bags of clothes and spend money there instead.

“When I was given a Rank grant to help replace the machine it made a massive difference to me and Mum. Without it we would still be saving up for months and really struggling with that on top of the cost of everything else.”

Rank supporters have been raising thousands of pounds for unpaid carers with a range of imaginative fundraising challenges. Highlights include four London Marathon runners who raised more than £10,000 between them in the past two years.

Last September, five people completed the London to Brighton cycle ride, raising over £2,600. And this May, a team of nine took on the Henley 10K Tough Mudder raising more than £2,000.

Most recently, two cyclists took on their toughest challenge yet and cycled coast to coast, clocking-up an astonishing 127 miles in just one day and raising £1,770 in the process.

Elsewhere, the return of the Goliath and City Poker events, which put on incredible evenings and prize draws, raised nearly £9,000.

The partnership was also recognised at the European Gaming Awards, winning the award for Community Engagement. Rank was also a huge supporter of Carers Week this year, highlighting the work Carers Trust does and the grants provided through the partnership.

Rank's Chief Executive, John O’Reilly, said:

“Rank is incredibly proud of its charity partnership with Carers Trust. Over the past nine years our colleagues and customers have wholeheartedly supported the charity and our fundraising journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. We are already close to reaching our ambitious fundraising target of £3.5m thanks to the unwavering support we receive from customers and colleagues and I am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together over the coming year.”

Svetlana Kirov, Carers Trust’s Executive Director of Fundraising and Business Development, said:

“We’re thrilled that Rank are extending their partnership with us into a landmark tenth year. Over the past decade, thousands of unpaid carers have benefited from Rank’s grants programme, helping them through incredibly challenging times. This just wouldn’t have been possible without the enthusiasm and tireless support of staff and customers at Rank, Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca. Carers Trust, our network of local carer organisations and unpaid carers across the UK are incredibly grateful.”

ENDS

For further information, and to arrange interviews with Carers Trust spokespeople, please contact:

Mark Chandler, Media and PR Officer, on mchandler@carers.org and 07712 427808

 

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