Tony Parry, Chief Customer Officer at Shell Reddy Express / OTR Group, looks at Reddy Express’ long-term support of Redkite.
There’s nothing as rewarding as seeing a child’s smile, knowing that you’ve done your part to add a little joy to their life. That’s why Coles Express – now Reddy Express – has officially partnered with Redkite for the past five years, raising over $10 million to support the families of children with cancer.
I first met the team at Redkite in mid-2020 and was both inspired and saddened to hear about the work they do with families facing some of the toughest situations any child and their parents can imagine.
When you think about terminal illness in children, your mind (and heart) automatically contemplates the physical challenges the sick child will face. But many do not realise the extensive flow-on impacts of illness on the families of these children. Often, one parent may need to leave work, reducing household income, while medical bills accumulate. Families can be separated as a parent and child travel for treatment and the stress of the child’s prognosis further strains relationships and the family unit. Redkite provides essential financial and practical support to help families navigate these overwhelming circumstances.
Reddy Express is a keen supporter of community partnerships and charities, so we were delighted to partner with Redkite in September 2020 for our first official Redkite week, raising more than $500,000 – a great way to kick off our partnership – which continues to grow year on year.
Apart from the ability to fundraise for this critical organisation, our quarterly Redkite Weeks provide a fantastic opportunity for engagement by our in-store team members. This has helped build a highly motivated team who continually go above and beyond to connect and inspire customers through their own creative flair and dedication. It is a celebration of fun, team camaraderie, and commitment to the Redkite families who have been devastated by their child’s cancer.
In the lead up to each Redkite week, our teams get together with their Area Managers to create their costumes (they love a wig and tutu – even the men!) and the look and feel of their store, always with a healthy dash of red to draw it to the attention of customers. Giving our team the freedom to be creative has meant we’ve had plenty of hair dye, head shaves, and even a tattoo. As our teams tell us, they love to put the fun into fundraising.
We have also heard a number of team members’ personal stories highlighting their link to the charity, which gives their work teams even more incentive to collect those donations across the week. Our friendly and engaged Reddy Express teams have made it clear they love being part of Redkite week.
Most importantly, our customers tell us that they appreciate our Redkite fundraising weeks, and their generosity at the register attests to that. We are thrilled that they share our passion for giving back to the community, by making donations or simply stopping by to cheer our teams on; their support is invaluable. Our next Redkite week kicks off on 24 March – why don’t you drop in and help us celebrate?
This article was written by Tony Parry for the February/March issue of Convenience and Impulse Retailing Magazine.
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