Super support from car supermarket

Five years ago, the Directors Graham and Alison Bell of the used car supermarket group AvailableCar, approached Rainbows to be their adopted in-store charity, as it was and still is, the only children’s hospice of its kind in the surrounding area.

The Directors felt as Rainbows forms such an incredibly important facility, which helps support so many local families, it was an ideal place to raise awareness for and help financially.

Since starting the fundraising, AvailableCar have managed to raise over £382,000 by organising various team events like golf days, sky dives, marathons and sponsored cycles to name just a few.

The most successful aspect of their fundraising however is their in-store donation scheme, which asks customers at their Castle Donignton and Sutton-In-Ashfield supermarkets to donate £5 or more onto their car sale. The AvailableCar Directors then generously agreed to match this figure and the combined amount goes straight to the hospice.

Paul Arscott AvailableCar Operations Director said: “Since starting the Rainbows scheme we have been amazed at our customers’ kindness. Almost everyone who buys a car does decide to donate £5 and they wish to find out more about the hospice and what it does, so we feel this is a fundraising initiative which has been highly successful.

“It also means Rainbows have a steady stream of money going into the running costs every month which we hope will continue for many years to come.”