Bluetooth speakers spark a record-breaking response
Buckinghamshire-based promotional merchandise company, Arcadia Corporate Merchandise, recently listed a range of no-longer-needed promotional items on the A Good Thing site. These included men’s fleeces, mugs, water bottles and T-shirts – but it was their offer of 33 Bluetooth speakers that really went viral!
Spotlight on the BPMA Sustainability Conference
Back in June, A Good Thing co-founder Richard was invited to present at the British Promotional Merchandise Association’s (BPMA) Sustainability Conference: it was a day for the Association’s members to learn about the BPMA’s new sustainability-focused StepForward Pledge, and for members to explore the many ways in which the whole industry can become more innovative in its approach to dealing with waste.
Richard took to the stage alongside one of A Good Thing’s veteran users, Colin McGregor-Paterson, CEO of Bucks charity The Oasis Partnership, to highlight the needs of the charity sector. The two talked about how charitable organisations can make use of no-longer-needed promotional merchandise – while critically reducing their spending.
Simon Dalton, Operations Manager at Arcadia Corporate Merchandise, was sitting in the audience and knew immediately that the matchmaking platform was the perfect solution for his unused items:
“We’re always looking for local charities to support. Previously we have donated merchandise to the British Heart Foundation and most of the Buckinghamshire schools. But after seeing Richard at the BPMA conference, I was keen to start using your platform. We have had loads of responses already, which is great.”
All of the items listed by Simon were snapped up quickly, but the 33 Bluetooth speakers were a record-breaker – with over 15 requests from charities all across the UK.
Prizes to inspire young people
Rochdale Connections Trust is celebrating its 25th birthday this year. The Greater Manchester-based charity runs a range of services for families and young people, including support for caring dads, help for women experiencing domestic abuse, and a wide range of groups for young people. The charity has received five of the speakers, which were used as part of its summer programme.
Summer is a busy time for the charity, as Lizl Donnelly, Business Support Manager, explains:
“The centre is based in a three-storey building and we run everything on site. During the summer months we’re busy delivering summer programmes, alongside our usual activities to support families experiencing challenges as the cost-of-living crisis continues to take hold. As more and more families are facing hardships, we’re finding that there’s an increase in substance misuse as a coping mechanism. Ultimately, this increases the demand for our services.”
Having been a long-time subscriber to A Good Thing, Lizl was delighted to see the Bluetooth speakers pop up in her inbox:
“I’m always looking for items for our young people. Not all of the offers listed are applicable to us, but it is great to see what businesses are sharing. I saw this offer and thought these would be perfect for the children.”
“We were ecstatic to be selected. We will use the speakers as a prize for a drawing or colouring competition, something to engage the children with an activity in the centre, doing something positive.”
Lizl was full of praise for A Good Thing:
“I think the concept is great, it is great to see that more businesses are recycling and donating things to charities all across the UK. The emails are really useful, I get to see what is going on, even if the items are not quite suitable. Thank you for all you’re doing.”
A small thing makes a big difference
Another charity that received a set of speakers is also celebrating a major milestone. Brain Tumour Support, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, was also selected to receive a number of the Bluetooth speakers. The small charity supports brain tumour patients and their families and friends all across the UK. Ellie Graham, Media Officer, told us more about the charity’s work:
“The origins of the charity lie in one family’s own devastating experience of a brain tumour diagnosis. Tina Mitchell Skinner, the charity’s Founder and CEO, experienced first hand the fear, uncertainty and isolation when her husband Paul was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour in 2001.”
Now in its second decade, the charity has grown in strength and offers invaluable support to individuals and their families when they are diagnosed with a brain tumour. Upon registering with the charity, people gain access to an individual Support Professional, who provides personal support to the patient. This can include texts on hospital days, links into local and online support groups, access to a counselling team, and a connection with a welfare and benefits professional.
The Bluetooth speakers will be used in both the charity’s head office and at local groups. Ellie explained:
“As our clients arrive at support groups, we offer them tea and biscuits – it’s a period of time to relax and mingle. We will use the speakers to play music as people gather to help remove the stress from the situation and to enable people to feel more at ease. Not all of our venues have audio facilities, so these speakers are small and ideal.”
“In the office we will use the Bluetooth speakers in meetings and training, we will no longer need to sit at individual laptops with headphones to listen to videos, now we will be able to gather together.”
These differences will be enormous for the charity – Ellie went on to comment:
“Such a small thing will make a huge difference. I don’t think businesses always know what charities need, or how a small thing that they no longer need can make a huge difference to the way a charity can operate. These speakers mean we can improve the meeting by playing music clearly, rather than from a laptop in the corner. The team will be able to feel more cohesion as we learn together. It may seem like something we could just pop out and purchase, but we need to use funds wisely.”
Having worked in the corporate world before making the move into the third sector, Ellie was full of praise for A Good Thing:
“I have already recommended A Good Thing to an ex-colleague. I know there are lots of ways businesses can get involved with the platform. There are lots of good things happening, but it’s hard to find charities to donate things to. Sometimes you just end up sending things to the same charity over and over again. This just makes it super easy to spread the love. Thank you to A Good Thing for making the match – and to Arcadia Corporate Merchandise for the wonderful speakers.”
The speakers were so popular they were split across several charities, including:
The speakers have now been delivered to their new homes with charities all across the UK and are making a difference to local communities in multiple ways. What a fantastic offer! Thank you, Arcadia Corporate Merchandise, for using A Good Thing.
If you’re a charity looking for similar items, don’t miss out: sign up now!
Has this article inspired you to partner with A Good Thing and reach charities in your local community?
