A partnership between cancer charity Macmillan and Home Retail Group has raised £1m in the first eight months, making it one of the charity’s fastest growing partnerships, Macmillan announced today.

The collaboration with the retail group that owns Argos, Homebase and Habitat, was launched at the end of March 2015 and will run for two years.

The partnership began with a ‘Go Green, Go Macmillan’ fundraiser, involving Home Retail Group’s stores, head office and distribution sites. Since then, fundraising events have included individual staff challenges - including a sponsored walk of 11 of London’s iconic bridges – and participation in Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning event.
 
A national collection weekend in 264 stores accross the country raised £86,755. The event over one weekend involved 720 Macmillan volunteers and store staff.

Head of corporate responsibility for Home Retail Group, Amy Whidburn, said she was “overwhelmed” by how quickly the first £1m was raised.

“We’ve seen a whole range of activities… but to fund so many valuable nursing hours will allow Macmillan to provide the best quality cancer care in local communities is quite incredible,” she said.  
 
Simon Phillips, interim director of fundraising at Macmillan Cancer Support said the money will be used to find 42,814 hours of Macmillan nursing care.

“I cannot wait to see what we can achieve together in 2016,” he said.