900 cups from Tesco. How far can they go?
A Good Thing is an online platform that allows businesses to give things away to their local charities. Less to landfill, more to a good cause! The case study below is an example of the wonderful impact that can be made through these matches.
When a Tesco store in Hertfordshire found itself with an excess of 900 brand-new travel coffee cups recently, it listed them on the A Good Thing platform and was matched with a total of eight charities.
Mark Phipps, Facilities Manager, fed back that the whole process had been smooth and that he had even recommended A Good Thing to other people to use. He also promised he would continue to use A Good Thing in the future to donate.
Tesco is the UK’s leading food retailer and is committed to reducing its impact on the climate. Its food redistribution programmes allow it to serve communities and help those who need it most.
Where did the donations go?
“It’s a reminder that small donations can have a very human impact, helping people to feel part of something and see new possibilities for themselves.” - Stephen Craker
This donation had a huge impact: the 900 cups were divided between eight local charities:
Caudwell Youth discovered A Good Thing while it was looking for sustainable organisations. This was the charity’s second time using the platform and its second time receiving donations from Tesco! Caroline Presho, Volunteering Administrator, told us that the whole process had been easy and the communication was fantastic.
Caudwell Youth is a charity that currently works across Slough, Luton, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, supporting at-risk young people aged 11-24 through volunteer mentoring and short-term intervention programmes. The charity works with young people who can’t get the help they need elsewhere.
The cups will be given as gifts to the charity’s volunteer mentors, as a ‘thank you’ for all their hard work. Caroline said: “It’s imperative to let our volunteers know how grateful we are to them for their time, experience and passion.”
Caroline told us Caudwell Youth will definitely be using A Good Thing in the future and will recommend it to other organisations, which is amazing news!
Communities 1st also received cups: this is a charity that helps improve the quality of people’s lives across the East of England by supporting local and voluntary and community organisations.
Stephen Craker, Chief Executive, told us the whole process was straightforward and the charity was kept well informed along the way:
“We were warmly welcomed by Tesco employee Mark Phipps, who not only handed over the mugs, but also offered us other useful items for our work.”
Communities 1st received 60 teal travel cups along with additional items such as paper plates and paper envelope folders.
The cups will be used in the charity’s ‘Able 2 Enable’ programme, which provides supported volunteering opportunities for people facing barriers to work:
“Every shift gives our volunteers a chance to practise new skills, try things they never thought they could, and experience the lift that comes from being part of a supportive team. Something as simple as a cup of tea served in one of these mugs becomes a moment of pride and belonging.”
Stand by Me Bereavement Support for Children is a Hertfordshire charity that offers information, advice and support to help children, young people and their families understand and manage their grief. The charity received 60 cups from Tesco, and Helen Watson, the charity’s Marketing & Administration Manager, told us:
“It was a really good experience using A Good Thing, and it was lovely to meet the team at Tesco. These cups will be sold through our new Vinted and eBay pages to help raise funds that support the work we do with bereaved children, young people and their families.”
Helen described A Good Thing as a “fantastic initiative that makes such a difference”.
Bushmead Community Centre explained that receiving the cups would mean it would be able to “cut down on waste from disposable cups”, while Sebby’s Corner said that it would be using them “as ‘thank you’ presents for our 60 volunteers”.