MORE than 80,000 NHS and emergency workers across the UK have been nominated for a special treat from a Derby gifting company to thank them for their unwavering dedication.
Colleague Box has joined forces with Blue Light Card – the UK’s number one discount service for emergency services, NHS, social care workers and armed forces – as it launches and expands its Emergency Treats campaign which allows people to nominate those who go above and beyond.
The campaign is a way to show appreciation and to reward staff for their tireless dedication to serve and protect communities.
It sees Blue Light members encouraged to nominate teams of deserving workers to receive the gift bundles from Colleague Box – the award-winning gifting company owned by husband-and-wife Adam and Natalie Bamford – through its social media channels and website.
Phase one proved to be a huge success as 81,677 entries were received for only 60 sets of gifts. The winners and their nominated teams were randomly selected to receive the special gifts.
And, as an additional surprise, Colleague Box’s celebrated trailer, nicknamed Tilly, visited five winning sites, distributing free treats to workers as they arrived for their shifts.
Adam Bamford, co-founder of Colleague Box, said: “The collaboration between Blue Light Card and Colleague Box has not only recognised and rewarded our heroes but has also strengthened the partnership between our organisations. We are excited to continue building on this success in future phases.”
Blue Light Card, which was set up by ex-police constable Steve Denny and business partner Tom Dalby in 2008, has more than three million members across the country and partners with over 17,500 retailers both national and local including New Look, Spotify, Greene King, Jet2holidays, Cineworld, Sky and Halfords.
Sarah Taylor, senior marketing manager at Blue Light Card, thanked Colleague Box for their involvement in the project. She said: “The success of the Emergency Treats campaign exceeded our expectations, and we are grateful for the overwhelming response from the blue light sector.”
The partnership has seen three gift options created – a breakfast treat box for workplace enjoyment, a relaxation box for home-based celebrations, and a party box for all special occasions.
There are also plans for future phases of the Emergency Treats campaign, where seasonal-themed gift bundles, like Halloween and Christmas, will be offered as prizes.
And, as a result of the collaboration, Blue Light Card has seen an increase in member sign ups, while Colleague Box has received additional bookings for Tilly The Trailer, with potential for further growth and they have partnered with the NHS.
Fellow co-founder Natalie Bamford, who is gearing up for a busy Christmas campaign for Colleague Box, said: “Our business was set up to bring a smile to the recipients’ face, and this campaign has done that and so much more.
“We look forward to working more closely with Blue Light Card in the future.”
