Firefly Merchandise and Daisy’s Dream: a partnership for good

Firefly’s introduction to A Good Thing

Firefly Merchandise’s journey with A Good Thing began when they discovered the platform at a BPMA (British Promotional Merchandise Association) event. The concept immediately resonated with them, aligning perfectly with their commitment to sustainability.

Carol’s commitment to sustainability

Carol from Firefly Merchandise has always been proactive in finding ways to donate unneeded items. With a strong awareness of the environmental impact that unsustainable merchandise businesses can have, she was determined that Firefly Merchandise would not contribute to the problem.

Long before discovering A Good Thing, Carol sought out good causes to donate any excess items, striving to reduce her business’s environmental footprint and prevent merchandise from ending up in landfills. She explains that without consideration of the materials used and proper disposal, typical merchandise items – such as stress balls – can sit in landfill for thousands of years without breaking down, causing significant harm to the planet.

Ongoing efforts to make a difference

Carol is particularly passionate about supporting Care for Calais. She regularly donates extra clothing and requests clients return samples so that they can be put to good use. She also ensures that notebooks are never wasted by donating them to local schools. For other surplus items, Carol used to rely on social media to find suitable recipients. While this approach sometimes worked, finding homes for everything was often time-consuming and challenging.

The perfect solution: A Good Thing

Everything became a bit easier when Carol found A Good Thing. With her business already centred around sustainability, she immediately recognised the platform’s potential. Since discovering A Good Thing, Firefly Merchandise has made four or five donations, with many more to come.

A memorable donation: sunglasses for Daisy’s Dream

One of the most recent donations included around 90 pairs of recycled white plastic sunglasses with "MEAN" printed on one side. Carol wanted to ensure these glasses would find a good home, so she listed them on A Good Thing. The process worked as she had hoped, with various charities expressing interest and explaining how they would use the sunglasses.

A worthy cause

Among the charities that reached out, Carol chose Daisy’s Dream, a remarkable organisation that supports children and young people affected by bereavement.

Daisy’s Dream was invited to be the charity partner at the Raver Tots weekend event, an opportunity offered in recognition of their support for Shona Johnson’s family, who tragically lost Shona to stomach cancer, leaving behind a husband and a young family.

Sunglasses being snapped up at Raver Tots event

Impact of the Raver Tots Event

Being the charity partner at an event like Raver Tots is invaluable. It provides a platform to raise much-needed funds and increases awareness so that other families in need can find support.

Joanne Somner, Community Fundraising Officer at Daisy’s Dream, shared that the Raver Tots event was a huge success for everyone involved, especially Daisy’s Dream. The event spanned three busy days and nights filled with fun and energy. Firefly’s funky sunglasses were a perfect match for the bright skies and festival atmosphere, becoming a big hit with attendees.

A successful outcome

Daisy’s Dream raised over £3,500 during the event, a result they were absolutely thrilled with. The leftover sunglasses will continue to bring joy and support, as they plan to use them at Reading Pride at the end of August.

Joanne expressed her excitement about connecting with Carol and Firefly Merchandise through A Good Thing, marking another successful partnership facilitated by the platform.