NEWSAGENTS across the town and beyond have thrown their weight behind the Swindon Advertiser’s 160 appeal in a bid to raise £160,000 for Prospect Hospice by the end of the year.

Prospect Hospice needs to raise more than £4m each year to continue to care for terminally-ill patients and the Adver is hoping to help out to celebrate its 160th year.

Donation boxes which can be found on the counters of many shops, newsagents and businesses may not seem like a major game changer for the hospice and yet each year without the mounds of coppers dropped in by benevolent shoppers, Prospect would be £30,000 out of pocket.

Ilpa Patel, manager of Victoria News in Old Town, has proudly carried a collection tin in the store for years. For her, the plastic box is a very simple way to make a big difference for patients in their final hours and to support a worthy cause.

“We don’t always collect that much but whatever change the customers give, we put it in,” she said.

“It also helps to raise awareness of the charity. It makes a difference. Every penny counts for Prospect.

“I think everybody is aware of what the hospice does; and they do such a great job.

“It would be nice if more people gave their loose change. But they know it’s there if they want to donate.”

Andrew Long, manager of The Shop on Morrison Street, added: “We have carried the tin for over 10 years now. We’ve always been keen on supporting Prospect Hospice. “It’s simple and they collect it every three months.”

Supporting the organisation was also a priority at Bournes Stores, according to manager Bridget Grant.

“It is not much, people put their odd change in the tin but every little helps,” she said. “We have had a tin for years but we got a new one a week ago with the 160 Appeal logo. It’s something for the charity.”

Gifty Tawiah, Prospect Hospice community fundraiser, said the boxes had a huge impact on the total raised by the charity each year. “Our business boxes are a really easy way for people to support us. Very often the loose change that people donate at tills is not really missed by them – it’s pennies, usually – but it makes a big difference to us, raising nearly £30,000 every year.

“It’s also easy for the businesses who take the boxes. We do all the administration from the hospice. “And obviously, it makes a huge difference to the care we offer patients and their families.”

Every year residents are also invited to help themselves to one of the charity’s cardboard collection boxes, keep it in their home and place all their loose change in the small piggy bank. Combined with business tins, they help to raise almost £100,000 a year.

To order a business or household tin call Gifty Tawiah on 01793 816163.

Participating stores are listed below:

  • Londis Convenience Store, 58 Bridge Street,  Swindon  SN1 1BL
  • Joban News, 44 Fleet Street  Swindon SN1 1RE
  • Havelock News, 49 Havelock Street,  Swindon SN1 1SD
  • P M Cocca, 123 Broad Street,  Swindon SN1 2DS
  • Co-Op, Groundwell Road, 87 Groundwell Road,  Swindon SN 1 2LY
  • Macs News, 98 Drove Road, Swindon SN1 3AF
  • Shan Store, 41 Euclid Street,  Swindon SN1 2JW
  • Mccolls Retail Group Ltd, 124-126 Victoria Rd, Old Town SN1 3BH
  • Victoria News, 115 Victoria Road,  Old Town, Swindon SN1 3BH
  • Saltan Mini Market, 29 Eastcott Hill,  Swindon SN 1 3JD
  • RSN Store, 3 Kent Road, Swindon    SN1 3NJ
  • Suain Stores, 37 Goddard Ave, Swindon SN1 4HR
  • Westcott Stores, 175 Faringdon Road, Swindon SN1 5DL
  • Rodbourne Road Post Office, 169-170 Rodbourne Road, Swindon SN2 2AY
  • The Shop, 25 Morrison Street, Swindon SN2 2HE
  • Bourne Stores, 8a Bourne Road,  Moredon SN 2 2JQ
  • Moredon Post Office, 5a Purton Road, Swindon SN2 2LN
  • Baileys, 2 Cheney Manor Road,  Swindon SN 2 2NS
  • McColls, 8 Braydon Court, Penhill    SN2 5BL
  • Beechcroft Rod Post Office, 198/200 Beechcroft Road, Swindon SN2 7QQ
  • Co-Op, Hyde Road, Stratton St Margaret SN 2 7SE
  • Juniper Stores, 43 Marigold Close,  Woodhall Park SN2 2SY
  • Queen Drive Post Office, 2 Queens Drive, Swindon SN3 1AW
  • One Stop, 44 Guildford Avenue, The Lawns SN3 1JE
  • Texaco Garage, Marlborough Road,  Swindon SN3 1NP
  • Newsdesk, Unit 7, Whitbourne Avenue, Cavendish Square SN3 2GD
  • Welcombe Stores, 56 Welcombe Drive, Park North SN3 2QR
  • Mccolls, 3 Sussex Square, Walcot SN3 3BJ
  • Amigo Shop, Great Western Hospital, Marlborough Road SN3 6BB
  • Grange Convenience Store, 142 -144 Grange Drive, Swindon SN3 4LA
  • Wanborough Post Office, High Street, Wanborough SN4 0AD
  • Meadows Stores, 34 New Road, Chiseldon SN4 0LU
  • Chaplin, Station Approach, Chiseldon SN4 0NG
  • News Plus, 38a Gainsborough Avenue, Wootton Bassett SN4 8LA
  • Coventry Farm Stores, 14-16 St Johns Road, Wroughton SN4 9ED
  • Broad Hinton Post Office & Stores,   High Street, Broad Hinton SN4 9PA
  • One Stop, 113 Pavenhill, Purton    SN5 4DB
  • Sainsburys, Paddington Drive,  Bridge Mead SN5 7AA
  • Delta Convenience Store, 1401 Delta Business Park, 141 Welton Road SN5 7XN
  • Batley’s Cash & Carry, Blagrove Ind Est, Franklands Rd, Blagrove SN5 8YG
  • Cricklade Store, 97 High Street,  Cricklade SN6 6AA
  • Ashton Keynes Post Office, 14a Fore Street, Ashton Keynes SN 6 6NP
  • Londis,16 White Horse Road, Cricklade SN6 6EN
  • Beaconsfields Stores  15 Fore Street  Ashton Keynes  SN6 6NP
  • Coleshill Post Office & Stores, Coleshill, Highworth SN6 7PL
  • Shop & Save, 11 Moredon Road, Swindon  SN25 3DQ
  • Blunsdon Village Shop, High Street, Broad Blunsdon SN26 7AR
  • Top Shop, 1-2 Baylie Acre, Marlborough SN8 1BG
  • Avebury Community Shop, High Street, Avebury SN8 1RF
  • Aldbourne Post Office & Stores,The Square,  Aldbourne SN8 2DU
  • Midway Stores, Oxford Road, Ramsbury SN8 2QW
  • 5 East Sands, Burbage, Marlborough SN8 3AN
  • Martins, 34-36 High Street, Pewsey SN9 5AQ
  • Bradenstoke Post Office & Stores, 63 Bradenstoke SN15 4EL
  • Ratnamss Newsagent, 31a Charnam Street, Hungerford RG17 0EJ