TV presenter Laura Whitmore launches new donation scheme between Nectar and Oxfam

TV presenter and style icon, Laura Whitmore kicked off a brand new partnership between Nectar, the UKs largest loyalty programme, and international development charity, Oxfam, which will allow customers to collect Nectar points on items they donate to Oxfam*. The initiative, which is the first of its kind, aims to raise millions of pounds for Oxfam’s work fighting poverty around the world.

From Thursday 4 April, customers who sign up to Tag Your Bag, Oxfam’s Gift Aid scheme, will be able to earn two Nectar points for every £1 their donated items raise when sold in Oxfam stores, along with 100 Nectar points just for signing up to the Tag Your Bag initiative.

Donating a bag of her own items at the Oxfam shop in Hampstead, North London, Laura said: “I think this is a great new initiative and I’ll definitely be clearing out my house more frequently from now on. Oxfam relies on good donations, and with the launch of Tag Your Bag, not only are we able to do our bit to help, we also get a little something back from Nectar. I’d really like to encourage everyone to delve deep into their cupboards to find quality items they no longer need or want and donate these through Tag Your Bag to help Oxfam to continue its crucial work.”

Dresses donated by Laura, including a lemon sixties-style mini-dress will be available for the public to bid on via the Oxfam eBay site,  www.ebay.co.uk/oxfam, from 10am on 4 April.

Customers can sign up to Tag Your Bag in an Oxfam shop or by visiting www.oxfam.org.uk/tagyourbag. They will receive a welcome pack which includes the all-important tags which must be attached to the bag of donated goods before being dropped at an Oxfam shop. All quality donations are welcomed as part of this initiative including books, music, clothing and homewares.

James Frost, Nectar Marketing Director, added: “We’re delighted to be announcing this exciting new phase in our partnership with Oxfam, one which we hope will help increase much needed donations to the charity. We are always looking at new ways for our card holders to earn points, and Tag Your Bag provides a unique and charitable way to do just that.”

Sarah Farquhar, Head of Retail Brand at Oxfam, says: “We’re so pleased to announce this latest phase of Oxfam’s partnership with Nectar.  Oxfam is always looking for good, quality donations and this initiative will enable us to engage with an entirely new audience. Collecting Nectar points in this way is exclusive to Oxfam and we are aiming to raise millions of pounds from the scheme, which will go a long way in supporting Oxfam’s vital work fighting poverty around the world.”

Oxfam will process all donations, adding a unique code to each item to ensure that sales can be tracked back to the individual donor, allowing points to be rewarded if and / or when an item is sold in store or through Oxfam’s online shop.

First launched in September 2012, the partnership with Oxfam has to date allowed Nectar collectors to spend their points on gifts through Oxfam Unwrapped - Oxfam’s poverty busting gift ideas that help to change lives around the world.

This latest addition to the partnership is part of Nectar’s continued drive to encourage positive behaviour change, building on existing opportunities for card holders to earn points for reusing  carrier bags at Sainsbury’s, switching to paperless billing with British Gas or recycling with Birmingham City Council.

- Ends -

For more information please contact the Nectar PR team on:

e: nectar.team@clarioncomms.co.uk t: 0207 479 0910 or

Sophie Bowell in the Oxfam Press Office

e: sbowell@oxfam.org.uk t: 01865 472254 / 07810 814 980

* Two points for every £1 raised on sales of items (including gift aid) will be collected. Only items that sell, either in an Oxfam shop or through Oxfam’s online shop, will be eligible to collect Nectar points. UK tax payers only will be able to sign up to the scheme.

Notes to Editors:

About Nectar

Nectar, the United Kingdom’s leading coalition loyalty programme, is owned by Aimia, a global leader in loyalty management.

In 2012, Nectar celebrated 10 years of rewarding British shoppers and has given back £2billion of rewards to collectors, including money off shopping, travel, days out and cinema tickets.

19 million collectors earn Nectar points when shopping for groceries, doing DIY, booking a holiday, paying household bills, buying petrol and even getting their car serviced. Collectors also earn Nectar points every time they shop online via nectar.com at over 500 leading online retailers.

Nectar was awarded the “Best card-based loyalty programme” at the 2012 Loyalty Awards for Europe and the Middle East.

For more information about Nectar, please visit: www.nectar.com  

About Oxfam

Oxfam is a global humanitarian, development and campaigning organisation working with others to overcome poverty and suffering.  Since its Oxford-based beginnings in 1942, it has grown into a worldwide force.  Oxfam is now working in nearly 60 countries on a diverse range of projects, from providing emergency water sources to supporting community health projects.

Oxfam has nearly 700 high street shops across the UK selling donated fashion, books, music, homewares and new ethical products.  It is supported by a workforce of 22,000 volunteers.  Oxfam also launched the UK’s first online charity shop in 2007. 

www.oxfam.org.uk

About Oxfam Tag Your Bag

The Tag your Bag initiative (known as Gift Aid on donated items) ensures Oxfam can claim additional funds on all individual items donated and then sold in its stores.

Oxfam's Tag your Bag scheme means that every time we sell something Oxfam can raise 25% more from the government through Gift Aid.

Gift Aid is a scheme run by HM Revenue and Customs that allows charities like Oxfam to reclaim the tax on donations by UK taxpayers.

There are 22 stores in the Oxfam shop network that are unfortunately not able to take part in the Tag Your Bag scheme. 

For more information please visit www.oxfam.org.uk/tagyourbag