Ilkley Good Neighbours is celebrating its partnership with the local Booths store with customers now able to make donations using their debit cards.
The original partnership project launched earlier last year and has involved a number of collection buckets located at the supermarket tills where customers could donate any spare change. However the new system arranged with Booths means that they can also now make a donation if they wish by card as they check out.
Store Manager Jim Verbeken said: “Every Booths store is able to link with local charities and we are delighted to be developing our relationship with Ilkley Good Neighbours by using this additional donation method.
“The support that the charity provides for many of our older and more vulnerable customers really is invaluable and I hope that our working together will make a real difference in the community.”
Chairman of Ilkley Good Neighbours Ed Duguid said: “It has been a privilege working with Booths over the last year and the store’s manager Jim and his staff have been tremendously supportive. Their customers have equally been extremely generous and the amount raised in debit card donations is now actually more than the bucket collection at the tills. This may well be part of the evolving method of payment, where people are using their cards more and carrying less cash than in previous years. Our collection totalled almost £3200 which will be very helpful with our range of projects.”
Founded almost fifty years ago, the charity operates various social and practical schemes aimed at improving the lives of older people in the community. Apart from Shop Assist, its schemes include social support such as Befriending and the popular Moving On Friendship Group which meets weekly at the Clarke Foley Centre.
“The Moving On Friendship Group has been enormously successful” added Ed. “So much so, that we’ve recently launched a Moving On 2 Group to accommodate the long waiting list of interested new members. We do need volunteers for this expansion, so please contact us if you are interested in helping.”
For information on the charity or volunteering contact 01943 603348 or info@goodneighboursilkley.co.uk