Iceland Foods partners with pennies to make fundraising for ‘Calm’ easier this Charity Week

Iceland Foods joined forces with fintech charity Pennies to make it even easier for customers to support suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) this Charity Week (10th – 17th May 2025).

The new partnership allows customers to make a small donation when paying by card at checkout – 10p in Iceland stores and 20p in The Food Warehouse – with proceeds going to Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation (IFCF) to directly benefit CALM, supporting its life-saving mental health services.

The initiative has been rolled out across stores nationwide, and for this week only, as part of Charity Week, the donation amounts will be doubled, with 20p donations in Iceland stores and 40p in The Food Warehouse.

This marks the latest step in a long-standing partnership between IFCF and CALM. In recent years, IFCF has donated over £850,000, which is enough to fund over 70,000 calls on CALM’s life-saving helpline. IFCF also backed their high-impact campaign “Missed Birthdays” and their recent short film “Evelyn”. Together, IFCF and CALM hope to increase the total raised to £1million through this year’s Charity Week activity.

Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods said: “At Iceland, we’re always looking for simple, meaningful ways to support the causes that matter – both to us and our customers. That’s why we’re proud to be partnering with Pennies, giving people the chance to make a small donation at the checkout to help fund the brilliant work CALM does.

This new option to give a small donation by card is an easy way for our customers to get involved and help CALM continue its vital work to prevent suicide and support those who need it most, and we’re incredibly grateful to our customers for their generosity and support.”

Alison Hutchinson CBE, CEO of Pennies said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Iceland Foods into the Pennies family. Giving customers the chance to donate with their purchases and support great causes is a small act with a big impact—and we know Iceland shoppers will rise to the occasion. A few hours of donations will add up quickly, allowing IFCF to support CALM’s vital mental health services. Together we’re excited to make a real difference in communities across the UK, now and into the future.”

This new initiative forms part of Iceland’s wider Charity Week efforts, which coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week (12^th – 18^th May). As part of the week’s activity, Iceland colleagues will take to the pitch on Friday 16th May for the Mental Health World Cup, a national 5-a-side football tournament founded in memory of Lanfranco Gaglione, who tragically took his own life in 2012.

Team Iceland will be captained by Paul Dhaliwal, Chief Commercial Officer, and made up of a mix of eight colleagues from Iceland and CALM, competing against 47 other corporate teams in a one-day tournament to raise vital awareness for mental health and suicide prevention.

Paul Dhaliwal, Chief Commercial Officer at Iceland Foods and team captain, added: “Mental health is something that affects every one of us, and CALM’s work is becoming increasingly more important. Taking part in the Mental Health World Cup is a real honour – not just to raise money for a great cause, but to show solidarity with those who are struggling. It’s a powerful reminder that we’re stronger when we come together, both on and off the pitch.”