Words by Smiley Team
A creative e-commerce company is making fundraising for charity an integral part of their business, and they’re having fun while doing it.
EKM is an e-commerce company that helps small businesses create and manage their online shops. They have always had an internal ‘house points’ system, with four teams going head-to-head in monthly competitions over the course of each year. At the end of the year, the team with the most points would win a meal out - but now the reward is much more altruistic.
“The changes to our existing competition format were inspired by one of the team here who wanted to see our fundraising/charitable giving become a more regular, year-round effort,” said Jessie Caldwell, a digital marketing executive at EKM. “Previously we did things like MacMillan Coffee Morning or Christmas Jumper Day, but never anything on a more regular basis. This way, we are making it a more sustained effort to give back.”
With this new change, each month the winning team will earn a £100 contribution to a charity of their choice, contributed by the company. The four teams have chosen their respective charities for this year, but at the beginning of the new year, they will choose brand new ones to start over again.
“It adds some extra good to something we already enjoy doing,” Jessie told Smiley Movement.
To kick off the new tradition, this past months’ competition saw teams raise money for their charities. The team which managed to raise the most money, donated by team members, as well as their family and friends, won the £100 from the company to top of their contributions.
Red Team won this month’s competition with 33 donations totalling £251 and an additional £42.75 from Gift Aid. They received the £100 bonus from EKM, meaning a total of £393.75 was raised for Alder Hey Children's Charity.
Yellow Team received 32 donations totalling £98.14, plus £15.75 in Gift Aid, raising £113.89 for North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust Charity.
Green Team received 10 donations totalling £47, plus £3.75 in Gift Aid, raising £50.75 for Derian House Children's Hospice.
Blue Team received 7 donations totalling £52, plus £10.50 in Gift Aid, raising £62.50 for DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
DONATE: You can give financial support to North West Ambulance Service by donating, or organising a fundraising event.
SUPPORT: You can help support Alder Hey Children’s Charity by volunteering to collect donations or at one of their charity shops.
VOLUNTEER: There are many brilliant volunteer opportunities at Derian House Children’s Hospice that you can sign up for to help support respite and end-of-life care providers.
GET INVOLVED: Help those affected by the war in Ukraine by donating to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
