News

As Christmas approaches, Comic Relief’s long-term corporate partner, Sainsbury’s, has pledged to support the charity for another six years. The supermarket chain will see their fundraising total soar past £100m within that time thanks to the support and generosity of the company, its colleagues and customers.

The announcement was made at Sainsbury’s in Cromwell Road, West London, where chief executive Justin King met Comic Relief chief executive, Kevin Cahill along with celebrity Comic Relief supporters Lenny Henry, Claudia Winkleman and Danielle Lineker.

Speaking at the event, Lenny Henry said: “Sainsbury’s staff and customers have raised unbelievable amounts of money for Comic Relief in the past and this new deal marks something truly incredible! £100 million pounds is an insane amount of money and having seen firsthand where every penny goes, I am so proud to be a part of this, it’s going to change a lot of lives.”

Having raised nearly £60 million since 1999, Sainsbury’s is Comic Relief’s largest corporate partner and, earlier his year, Sainsbury’s customers and colleagues raised a record £11.4 million for the charity through merchandise sales and fundraising. This new commitment aims to raise a further £50 million over the six year period, taking in three more Red Nose Days and three Sport Relief campaigns.

Since Sainsbury’s began working with Comic Relief, money raised by the supermarket has been used to fund hundreds of projects that aim to battle poverty in the UK and around the world. Money raised will continue to help people living unimaginably tough lives in the UK and across the world’s poorest countries.