Nottingham’s intu Victoria Centre has launched an online version of its Emett Clock to help to continue to raise vital funds for their charity partner.
The water powered clock has been an iconic feature of the centre since the 1970s, with visitors dropping spare change into the fountain to make a ‘penny wish’. Each year, the money collected is donated to intu Victoria Centre’s chosen charity, which for the last two years has been Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People.
However, since the end of March, the centre has only been partially open for essential retailers, meaning that Emett Clock is unable to collect penny wishes. To ensure Rainbows continues to receive these funds, the team at intu Victoria Centre has launched an online Emett Clock page via JustGiving, allowing people to make a wish and donate to Rainbows at the same time.
Over the past few months, Rainbows has supported the NHS by looking after children and young people from local hospitals. The care team has also continued to provide end-of-life care and symptom control in the hospice, as well as virtual support for those families who rely on the charity.
Commenting on the launch of the online Emett Clock fundraising initiative, Nigel Wheatley, centre director of intu Victoria Centre, said:
“For years, the Emett Clock has raised smiles, allowing visitors to make a wish and drop their pennies into the water and help a worthy cause at the same time. However, these are unusual times and because the centre is only partially open, people just can’t do that at the moment.
“We wanted to offer an alternative way to help. We know times are tough but every penny really does count right now for charities like Rainbows.”
In 2019, Rainbows received almost £12,000 via the penny wishes made to the Emett Clock. Additional funds were also raised via various activities including intu Victoria Centre staff taking part in a sponsored 24.5-mile mountain trek, as well as volunteering to help at the hospice.
Kate Golding, Head of Organisational Giving at Rainbows, added:
“We were thrilled to receive such an amazing amount from staff and visitors at intu Victoria Centre last year and also so excited when we found out about the online Emett Clock fundraising idea.
“Right now, Rainbows families are going through some of the toughest times they’ve ever faced. Any additional funds mean more PPE equipment, more training and resources for our staff working harder than ever. Support like this really does make a difference.”
To donate to intu Victoria Centre’s online Emett Clock, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/emett-clock. To find out more about Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People, visit http://www.rainbows.co.uk/. For further information on intu Victoria Centre, visit www.intu.co.uk/victoriacentre