Primula surprises local causes with six-figure donation

Every year we donate all profits from the sales of our delicious cheese to good causes in the UK and around the world. This year we’re delighted to have supported three local charities nominated by our team to receive the surprise donation totalling £105,000.

The charities chosen by the Primula team; Changing Lives, Bede Community Primary School and St Aiden’s Cottage believed they were attending to present their case to receive funding. Instead, we surprised all three causes with the donation.

Changing Lives, a charity dedicated to helping people experiencing hardships such as homelessness, sexual exploitation and poverty to rebuild their lives, received a donation of £65,000. The money donated will support the charity to facilitate a range of services and equipment for the people they work with, including exercise equipment, mindfulness and therapeutic activities and arts and crafts groups.

At Bede Community Primary School, the importance and love of learning are at the core. The £35,000 donation will be used to create a sensory room access to learning for children with special educational needs and barriers to learning.

St Aiden’s Cottage provides high-quality specialist support services for adults with neurological, learning and physical disabilities. The care home will use the £5,000 from Primula to create a memorial garden to allow service users to be meet with their families and provide a safe space to remember loved ones who have passed away.

Commenting on the surprise donation, Helen Aitchison of Changing Lives said: “We are overjoyed to receive such a fantastic donation from Primula Cheese.

“When we arrived today, alongside the other two beneficiaries, we did not expect a donation of £65,000 to be coming our way. This money will allow us to continue to provide thousands of meals to vulnerable people and families across the North East. We are incredibly grateful for the donation and cannot thank Primula Cheese enough.”

James Annan, Warehouse Manager and Co-Chair of Primula’s Charity Committee, said: “We are delighted to surprise three brilliant local beneficiaries. We look forward to seeing the money donated go towards supporting and improving the lives of our local community.”