REDDITCH'S Kingfisher Shopping Centre has helped to raise more than £55,000 for charity in 2016, following 12 months of fundraising activities and events.

The centre has supported Primrose Hospice for over a decade, however last year as part of the Kingfisher Cares initiative, the centre decided to also pledge its assistance to two additional organisations, local support group Your Ideas and dementia support charity Alzheimer’s Society.

In support of Primrose Hospice, Kingfisher Shopping Centre again hosted the annual Primrose Hospice Lights of Love campaign, which invites visitors to dedicate a light on the centre’s Christmas tree to someone who is no longer with them, and make a donation to the hospice if they wish.

Staff at the centre held their own edition of ‘Bake Off’ where all team members were invited to bake cakes, which were sold to raise funds for all three charities, took part in Christmas Jumper Day and hosted fundraising activities including face painting and balloon modelling.

Throughout the year the centre supported various causes in addition to the three nominated charities to raise a total of £55,438 under the Kingfisher Cares initiative.

Fiona Faizey, deputy general manager at Kingfisher Shopping Centre, said: "We can’t believe the huge amount of money the various charities raised in 2016.

"All of the charities that we’ve supported are extremely important and it’s great we are able to give something back to the community with the help of our shoppers. £55,438 is something that everyone who contributed should be extremely proud of."