Marks and Spencer's Charity of the Year

We were thrilled to be chosen as Canterbury Marks and Spencer’s Charity of the Year for 2024-25, and what a year it’s been!

Cath and Jenny, who look after the charity partnerships for the Canterbury store, have been incredibly welcoming and were always ready to get involved – helping set up fundraising stands in store, organising staff collections of essential items and donating stock that was perfect for survivors and their families.

Cath explained:

“We’ve supported national charities in the past but we wanted to find a more local charity. That’s when we found Rising Sun. We had a staff vote and the work you do really resonated with the team. We are all proud that we’ve supported such a well needed charity.
To be honest, we have learnt so much about domestic abuse and how it affects our local community. Talking with Rising Sun was a real eye opener. We all really wanted, with the help of our customers at the Canterbury store, to make sure we raised lots of money for this vital charity.“

Through charity sales in the staffroom, collection tins on all the till points and on fundraising stands in store, an incredible £4912 was raised over the year! This could help provide nearly 200 hours of specialist one-to-one counselling for women rebuilding their life following the trauma of domestic abuse.

Cath and Jenny shared that raising funds was important, but the M&S team also really valued the personal connection, with Rising Sun staff and with the survivors and families we support.

Jenny said:

“It was so lovely getting to meet people who work and volunteer for Rising Sun. When you came in for International Women’s Day, it felt so right to have Rising Sun in the store, on such an important day.”

Donating essential items for survivors fleeing abuse and passing on stock from the store had a real impact on the M&S team.

Cath shared:

“We were honoured to know that what we were donating was helping an individual. It gave us a personal connection. Like when we donated Easter eggs and we had feedback from a survivor in hospital who was so pleased to receive chocolate when she had nothing at all. And when staff collected toiletries and we passed on old stock of baby and children’s clothes, we received such lovely personal thanks from the families who had received the items.
Via Rising Sun, one mum told us how excited her boys were to get Pokemon pyjamas, and how grateful she was for us thinking of her. Personal touches like that had a massive impact on staff.”

Alongside Easter eggs, toiletries and clothes, M&S staff also collected water bottles for our High Support Needs team to distribute to the homeless survivors we support, and nappies for the mums and babies at Liberty House, our supported accommodation for 16-24 survivors of domestic abuse.

Emma, Rising Sun’s Community Fundraiser shared:

“The generosity from Marks and Spencer staff for women and children that they have never met but empathise with is a kindness that we are incredibly grateful for. It means that the survivors we support know that their community is thinking of them which is a huge comfort.”

We also can’t thank Marks and Spencer enough for the wonderful opportunity to let our community know about domestic abuse and the services we provide.

1 in 4 women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, but we also know that many never disclose what is happening to them. Often victims feel trapped and alone, living in an unliveable situation. They have nowhere to turn or know how to get help. Having a presence in Marks and Spencer for a whole year was crucial in raising awareness.

Emma shared:

“Being able to raise awareness right in the midst of our community can offer a lifeline to those suffering domestic abuse. And we know that works because a victim of domestic abuse contacted us for support, directly after she had walked past our stand in Marks and Spencer. This really is an invaluable result of our charity partnership!”

Cath said:

“It’s been a brilliant partnership. Working with Emma was great, she was so good at keeping in touch. All the staff got something out of it, being part of making a difference in our community. Knowing that help is out there for anyone who’s suffered with domestic abuse, we all felt proud to be helping a really needed charity.”

If you’ve been inspired to nominate Rising Sun for your company’s Charity of the Year, learn more about how you can get involved and raise vital funds for survivors of domestic abuse.

Learn more about corporate partnerships with Rising Sun!