Long-standing charity partnership honoured with gong

22 May 2023 Brand

One of Britain’s longest-standing charity partnerships has been recognised with The Better Society Award 2023. 

The awards are given to celebrate the efforts of commercial organisations who create a better, more equal, ethical, and sustainable society.

The nomination was based on the achievements from a decade long flagship partnership with Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity) and Whitbread owner of Premier Inn, Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Whitbread Inns and Table Table. 

In 2012, the Whitbread and GOSH Charity partnership launched, with the ambition to raise £7.5 million towards the much-needed Premier Inn Clinical Building. Through extraordinary efforts from Whitbread customers, suppliers, and team members they achieved their target and the doors to the Premier Inn Clinical Building opened in January 2018. 

Following on from these successes, Whitbread team members committed a staggering £10 million towards the development of a new Sight and Sound Centre; the first dedicated facility for children with sight and hearing loss in the UK. Team members up and down the UK were very creative with how they raised money for GOSH, setting weird and wonderful challenges including not eating bacon sandwiches for a month as well as committing to rising to personal goals under ‘Your Everest powered by Well being’.

Throughout the Covid pandemic Whitbread team members went above and beyond to honour their pledge and following their commitment, the Sight and Sound Centre supported by Premier Inn opened in June 2021, benefitting thousands of children in its first year of opening.

Whitbread team members are at the root of this partnership and have voted on three occasions to support GOSH Charity throughout their biggest challenges. In 2022, the partnership celebrated 10 incredible years of milestone achievements and raising £21 million to support seriously ill children across the UK. 

Simon Ewins, Managing Director Premier Inn & Restaurants said:  We are delighted to have won the Better Society’s Partnership with a Children’s Charity award. The fundraising we do is so important to us and really demonstrates the impact we can have when we all work together towards a common goal. It is made possible by the passion, commitment and energy of our teams and colleagues, and we are proud to see it recognised by the wider community. It was an honour to celebrate with GOSH Charity and we look forward to more achievements in this next phase of our partnership!

Louise Parkes, Chief Executive at GOSH Charity said: “I am absolutely delighted to see our long-term partnership with Premier Inn & Restaurants recognised by the Better Society Awards. Team members, customers and suppliers of Premier Inn never cease to amaze us with their incredible fundraising efforts, and the money they have raised has supported the opening of two state-of-the-art clinical centres at GOSH to transform the lives of seriously ill children from across the UK.

“Right now, five families a day hear the devastating news that their child has cancer. With Premier Inn & Restaurants backing our ‘Build it. Beat it’ fundraising appeal to create a transformational new Children’s Cancer Centre at GOSH, I look forward to what we can achieve in this new chapter as we strive to make a positive difference to these children and their families.”

The partnership continues as Premier Inn and Restaurants have pledged a further £20 million towards GOSH Charity’s biggest appeal, to build the Children’s Cancer Centre.