Together for Short Lives: Supporting Families through Micro-Donations

Hobbycraft and Pennies have been working together for more than seven years to support Together for Short Lives. During this time, Hobbycraft customers have raised over £750,000 for the UK’s leading children’s palliative care charity for children with life-limiting conditions.

When a child’s life is expected to be short, there’s no time to waste. Together for Short Lives raises vital funds to make sure the UK’s 99,000 seriously ill children and their families can make the most of every moment they have together – whether that’s for years, months or only hours.

Partnering with Pennies

Hobbycraft has been in partnership with Pennies since 2016, when they first implemented a micro-donation option at the tills across their 119 UK stores. The goal was to increase the funds they could raise for their long-term charity partner, Together for Short Lives.

United by the belief that art and crafts can positively transform lives and strengthen family connections, the now decade-long partnership between Hobbycraft and Together for Short Lives has had a transformative impact on the UK’s 54 children’s hospices.

Customers adding a small donation to their purchases when paying by card with Pennies have played a key role in the partnership over the past seven years. This year, Hobbycraft and customers reached the milestone of 3.5 million individual micro-donations made for charity. Every donation helps local children’s hospices continue to provide life-line care to seriously ill children and their families, like Mason’s.

Mason’s story

Three-year-old Mason was diagnosed with a rare genetic, metabolic disorder when he was born. It meant his body cannot process glycine. When he was born, with no available cure, his parents Kris and Emma were told he would not survive. At Little Havens children’s hospice in Benfleet, they prepared to say goodbye to Mason and were helped with memory-making through hand portraits and photographs.

Mason was taken off life support after a week, but incredibly he continued breathing and the family eventually got to take him home. Mason visits Little Havens for therapy and activities, alongside his older brother Riley.

“We don’t know how much Mason can see or hear but we know that he reacts to light, so he loves the sensory room and Riley likes it too. There aren’t many places we can take them that both boys enjoy.”

Kris and Emma, Mason’s parents

This amazing achievement of £750,000 raised with Pennies, thanks to Hobbycraft’s customers, brings hope to families like Mason’s. Mason’s parents, Kris and Emma, expressed their appreciation for the lifeline care provided by Little Havens.

“There will be a day when Mason won’t be with us, but we will always have the memories, especially the ones Little Havens helped us to make. Other families in the future deserve the same help we have had.”

Micro-donations matter, now more than ever

The individual micro-donations made by Hobbycraft customers really do turn into real support for children’s hospices across the UK.

One week of micro-donations alone can fund a specialist paediatric nurse for a month, providing crucial care and clinical support to children like Mason. Mason’s story shows how even small contributions can make a huge difference for seriously ill children and their families.

Your micro-donations in support of Together for Short Lives mean the world to families of seriously ill children and the children’s hospices they rely on. Thank you.

How you can benefit from Pennies

Contact us today and become part of the Pennies family, where every micro-donation adds up to make a positive difference for charities across the UK and beyond. Let’s work together to make every penny count.