The Garden Centre Group has chosen Marie Curie as its first national charity partner after an all-staff vote.

The ‘Gardens for Good’ partnership will run for two years, over which time gardening-inspired fundraising, volunteering initiatives and commercial activity will aim to raise over £500,000 for the charity which provides care to people with terminal illnesses in their own homes and in its nine hospices. The partnership will help Marie Curie Nurses provide at least an additional 25,000 hours of free, hands-on care.

Activity launches during Marie Curie’s biggest annual fundraising campaign, the Great Daffodil Appeal, with a donation on pots of daffodils*, daffodil collection boxes at all 850 till points, staff fundraising and Marie Curie collectors in centres across England and Wales.

A programme of activity will be developed to support The Garden Centre Group’s 5,000 employees and in excess of 30 million customers who visit its 130+ centres per year as well as suppliers and concession partners throughout the duration of the partnership. This will help Marie Curie deliver more high quality care to terminally ill people and their families in every community across the UK.

Dr Jane Collins, Chief Executive of Marie Curie, said: “Everyone at Marie Curie is excited about working with The Garden Centre Group. Being cared for at home means our patients can continue to enjoy their gardens, which often hold many happy memories. Our hospice gardens, just as those our patients have tended to over the years, provide a relaxing environment for families to spend time together. We are looking forward to developing gardening-inspired fundraising and volunteering opportunities to engage all 5,000 staff across all 130 centres, as well as customers and suppliers. The funds raised from the partnership will ensure that Marie Curie Nurses can provide more care to terminally ill people and support to their families in communities across the country.”

Stephen Murphy, Chairman, The Garden Centre Group, said: "We are delighted to have selected Marie Curie as our national charity partner for 'Gardens for Good' over the next two years following an all colleague vote. The work Marie Curie does is invaluable and we know that many people being cared for by the charity have a huge affection for their gardens. This makes our 'Gardens for Good' partnership truly relevant for our staff, our supplier partners and our customers. We hope to both raise significant funds from a wide range of initiatives and provide many volunteering opportunities over the next two years to support the great work that Marie Curie does."