Premier Foods
Premier Foods is the UK's largest food producer, with a turnover of £2.6 billion and employing around 14,000 people in the UK. We have around 60 sites dedicated to manufacturing high quality, great tasting food products which our consumers know, love and keep coming back for.
Our community and charitable efforts share common traits including celebrating all that is good about being "British", capable of "National Reach" and focused on "Service Provision" - these are key factors that we look for when identifying which community and charitable initiatives to support.
Help for Heroes were the overwhelming choice in our charity poll to vote for our charity partner for 2011 and we are delighted to be working with them and raising money for such a worthwhile cause.
As our first Company wide fundraising event for our charity partner Help for Heroes, Premier Foods' sites supported their annual Colossal Cake Sale by running our own, sponsored by McDougalls. Throughout March to May, sites all over the UK baked, iced, sold and of course, enjoyed eating all things sweet and nice, raising vital funds for H4H.
H4H first launched this event back in 2008, with only 7 sales held across the UK! 7 sales then increased to 35 in 2009 and to well over 100 in 2010. So, for 2011 we at Premier Foods have united across all sites to try and help H4H beat last year's number. It was a great way for everyone to ‘do their bit’ and get involved to help our wounded heroes.
Alan Brookes from Hovis in Leicester raised a fantastic £347 by running the Edinburgh half marathon last weekend. Thank you Alan!- Ashford held their Colossal Cake Sale and raised £120. Staff are also taking part in the Hero Walk, raising sponsorship money for our wounded.
- Charnwood Foods, Leicester held their Colossal Cake Sale and raised £110.90. Staff also took part in the 10k run at Abbey Park and raised £1360.
- Manor Bakeries, Carlton kicked off their H4H fundraising with a Valentines Raffle with 46 prizes, raising £210.83, followed by their Colossal Cake Sale which raised £201. All cakes were homemade and donated by employees, including 2 recently retired employees who helped with the sale.
- Manor Bakeries, Rugby held a Royal Quiz in honour of the Royal Wedding and also staff enjoyed a Whitsun Walk, all in aid of H4H with plenty more events planned for the year, including dress down days, sponsored bike rides and their own H4H Concert Day!
- RF Brookes, Rogerstone Park kicked off their H4H fundraising over Xmas and the New Year raising £3100 in donations, raffles and selling wristbands. Their Colossal Cake Sale raised £312 with H4H Merchandise flying out the door raising an extra £168 and a further £400 collected in donations. There are also plans for a Tea Run for Armed Forces Day and a "Brookes has got Talent" later in the year.
- RF Brookes, Leicester raised £243.46 from their Colossal Cake Sale and selling wristbands at site.
- Hovis, Windsor held their Colossal Cake Sale and raised £315.86. Their Easter Raffle raised £162 and there are several dress down days planned at site to support H4H challenges and events.
- Hovis, Leicester held their Colossal Cake Sale and raised £106. Alan Brookes from Leicester also completed a half marathon and raised £200 for H4H.
- Hovis, Greenford collected £44.76 in donations.
- Approximately 30 Hovis staff from the Wigan bakery took part in the strenuous 6 hour Old Man of Conniston sponsored walk, carrying a mannequin soldier on a stretcher to represent the H4H logo. A great team effort raising vital funds for the charity.
- Hovis, Nottingham are hosting a stall at the Nottingham Castle H4H Day and also planning a Summer Fun Day.
- St Albans held their Colossal Cake Sale and raised £342.40 and an Easter Raffle raised £772 for the wounded. Donations were also given on Pancake Day in return for yummy pancakes, Guinness Muffins to celebrate St Patrick's Day, a penalty swear box and to celebrate Chinese New Year with Sharwoods, raising a total of £350. There are also plans for a summer Family Fun Day in the park and another Charity Supplier Benefit later in the year.
- Knighton held their Colossal Cake Sale, raising £77.43 and have celebrated the Knighton Factory Centenary with various fundraising events, including a Family Fun Day, Barn Dance and Hog Roast, Charity Bingo, canal boat trips, a beer festival, 60s night and the history of Knighton presentation.
- Stoke - Paul Rickett and Andy Brookes, who are both ex forces, ran and completed in 2 hours the Stafford Half Marathon and raised £555 for H4H.
- Bury St Edmunds are planning a Launch/Fun Day and are selling wristbands/H4H merchandise in the staff shop
- Lifton held their Colossal cake Sale and raised £313.41 with cakes being made by the Ambrosia staff. The Raft Team are also planning another Raft Race to raise money for H4H.
- Rank Hovis, Barry held their Colossal Cake Sale and raised £162.00, followed by an Easter Raffle.
- Rank Hovis, High Wycombe held their Colossal Cake Sale and raised £416.28
- Rank Hovis, Southampton held their Colossal Cake Sale and raised £500.
- Premier Bakeries, Ireland held their Colossal Cake Sale and created their own Employee Recipe Book where staff entered their favourite recipes. An Easter Raffle was also held raising £244 and 4 employees took part in the Belfast Marathon in May.
- Eastleigh held their Colossal Cake Sale with just 10 staff and raised £21.39.
- Moreton have recently raised £1158 for H4H by holding 2 raffles, cake sales, red hat day and generous donations.
- Worksop held an H4H launch day in April which raised £2000. They have also raised money through a sponsored silence, cake sales, cake baking and eating competitions, as well as Auctioning off signed Lee Westwood ( former World number 1 golfer ) merchandise, raising much needed extra cash.
- Histon are planning a sponsored bike ride to include as many employees as possible - good luck!
- The Reading match day car park agreement where those parking for Reading Football/Rugby Games will be switching over to H4H in August, raising potentially £20,000 for the charity in parking fees.
- PBS Manchester created and sold a Charity Calendar for 2011 with fun staff pictures for each month raising approximately £600.
- Hovis, Mossend held a Family and Friends fun day on 4th June with local Army, Air Cadets, Sea Cadets and Boys Brigade all participating. Breakfast mornings have also been taking place at the site and a May Day Raffle was held, with all tombola prizes being donated by local companies raising £520. In November, Willie Corrigan, a Radial driver at Mossend will also climb Mount Everest in aid of H4H. His sponsorship page can be found at www.bmycharity.com/HovisMossend.