What Happens When You Donate Your Small Change At A Garden Centre?

You know that moment at the till? You’ve just found the perfect plant, a bag of compost, maybe a cheeky slice of cake from the café, and you’re ready to pay. The card machine pings up a little question: "Would you like to donate 20p to charity?" Sometimes you say yes, sometimes you’re in a rush and just tap through.

But have you ever wondered where that tiny bit of change actually goes? Well, if you’ve been to a Yorkshire Garden Centres store lately, your small change is doing something massive. Seriously. The group has managed to raise over £11,000 since May, just from those little till donations. It all goes to an incredible local charity, Martin House Children's Hospice, and shows how a few pennies can add up to something properly life-changing.

What's this Pennies thing all about?

Right, so let's break it down. The whole thing is powered by a clever bit of tech from a fintech charity called Pennies. Think of it as a digital charity box. Instead of dropping your loose change into a plastic tub, you get a simple option to add a small, optional donation to your card payment. It’s a genius idea because, let's be honest, who even carries cash anymore? This partnership between the garden centre group and Pennies makes giving to charity super simple and safe.

The Yorkshire Garden Centres group rolled this initiative out across all seven of its sites, and the response from customers has been amazing. Diane Farrar, who’s the group tills and customer services manager and helped get this whole initiative up and running, is thrilled with the result. She said:

"We're delighted that the Pennies initiative has raised so much in such a short space of time, thanks to the incredible generosity of our customers. Pennies is a great way for people to donate to Martin House in a simple, safe and sustainable way and has given our £30,000 fundraising target a huge boost."

It’s that simple. You buy your garden stuff, you tap a button, and you become part of a huge wave of kindness. These donations are a key part of their fundraising drive, and it’s clear that customers are happy to help.

So, where does the money actually go?

This is the important bit. Every single penny from these donations goes directly to Martin House Children's Hospice. This Wetherby-based independent charity does something truly special. They provide care and support for babies, children, and young people from all over Yorkshire who are living with life-shortening conditions. It’s not just about medical care; it’s about providing a place of comfort, fun, and respite for the whole family. It gives them a chance to make memories and enjoy precious time together, away from the stress of hospital visits.

The money raised so far is already making a huge difference. Hannah Finan, the partnership manager for the charity, was blown away by the support.

"It's incredible to see how much has been raised through the Yorkshire Garden Centres Group Pennies scheme in just the first few months of our partnership. The team is doing an amazing job of spreading the word about Martin House Children's Hospice and the difference their customers' donations can make."

But what does £11,313 actually mean in real terms? Hannah breaks it down beautifully:

"This amount could help us purchase a specialist bed, giving a child or young person the chance to have a comfortable night's sleep during their stay at the hospice. It could help our chefs provide seven days of home-cooked meals, allowing families to relax and enjoy time together around the table. It could even cover the cost of our medical supplies for two weeks, enabling us to continue offering specialist care to children and young people with complex needs. Every penny really does count - and we're so grateful for every single one."

Think about that. Your 20p donation, combined with thousands of others, could be helping provide a warm meal for a family or essential medical supplies for children who need them most. That’s pretty powerful stuff.

A group effort across Yorkshire

This isn't just happening at one garden centre. The entire Yorkshire Garden Centres group is behind this partnership. Each site is playing its part in the fundraising, which includes a whole series of fund-raising events alongside the Pennies donations. The group includes:

• Tong Garden Centre
• Tingley Garden Centre
• Otley Garden Centre
• Bingley Garden Centres
• Dean's York
• Dean's Scarborough
• The newly acquired Pennine Garden Centre in Huddersfield

And to make sure the momentum keeps going, each site has its very own charity champion. This is a team member whose job is to fly the flag for Martin House, keeping everyone motivated and coming up with new fundraising ideas. It's a proper team effort.

This group-wide initiative also works alongside the business's own 'Kindness Pot', which supports other local causes, showing a real commitment to the community. The main goal for the year is to hit a £30,000 fundraising total for the independent charity, and thanks to the generosity of their customers, they’re already well on their way to helping so many babies, children and young people.

Why your small change is a big deal

It's easy to think that a small donation won't make a difference. But this whole story proves that wrong. Imagine you're at the garden centre in Otley or Tingley, picking up some bits for the weekend. The person in front of you donates 30p. You donate 50p. The person behind you donates 15p. On its own, it’s nothing. But multiply that by thousands of customers every week across all seven sites from Huddersfield to Scarborough, and suddenly you have over £11,000 in just two months. That’s the magic of the Pennies scheme.It makes giving effortless.

This charity initiative fits seamlessly into your shopping trip. You don’t need to remember to bring cash or fill out any forms. It’s just one extra tap. And that one tap contributes to something huge. It helps Martin House Children's Hospice continue its vital work caring for young people and children with life-shortening conditions. The impact of these customer donations goes beyond money; it shows families at Martin House that their community is standing with them. So next time you're at Dean's York, the Pennine Garden Centre, or Bingley Garden Centres, and that little question pops up, you’ll know exactly how much good your small change can do.