Through the help of its participating retailers, the Nisa charity Making a Difference Locally has donated more than £8.4 million since its inception in 2008.
Last month, it extended a helping hand again, donating £56,000 to Watford-based charity Playskill, which works with children (and their families) aged 1-5 years old who have mild to severe physical disabilities and developmental delay.
The generous gift — from funds generated in Nisa stores via the sale of Heritage and Co-op own-label products — will help Playskill with its running costs, as well as assisting it in “moving on to the next stage of the charity’s development.”
“I am beyond grateful for Making A Difference Locally’s support (from Nisa) to our small charity,” says Andrea Clarke MBE, Director and Paediatric Physiotherapist at Playskill. “This level of support is a game-changer for us for 2019, giving us peace of mind that all our services can be delivered without the worry of having to cut back on helping our wonderful children and families who so need the intensive support to see them through their challenges of physical disability.”
According to Playskill, each child is matched with a dedicated therapist so they receive weekly one-to-one support in a group environment. They are encouraged to participate in a range of activities carefully designed to develop fundamental life skills whilst also having fun.
“It is very hard to express just how amazing this support is to us,” says Clarke. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all at MADL.”
Making a Difference Locally has donated to more than 11,000 causes to date. A percentage of sales in store go into a virtual fund for retailers to donate. Stores are then able to donate money raised to a local charity or good cause of their choice within a 10-mile radius, ensuring the funds raised benefit their local community. There are currently more than 2,300 stores that participate.
For more information on Making a Difference Locally, go to www.makingadifferencelocally.com or follow @MADLCharity on Facebook or Twitter.
