Tolly Boy spreads joy with £26k community grants

Tolly Boy rice is giving 20 community groups across the UK the chance to win funds of up to £10,000

Tolly Boy is celebrating the work of 20 African and Bangladeshi community groups, around the UK as part of its Spread the Joy with Tolly Boy campaign.

The brand, which has been serving both communities since 1962, has unveiled the new initiative at a promotional launch at world food distributor Wanis International’s HQ in east London. As part of the Spread the Joy with Tolly Boy, the brand will contribute £26,000 to local charities that sit at the heart of the communities that the company serves.

The campaign which begins on June 18th and runs until September 10th includes the Basmati, Long Grain and Easy Cook rice variants. With each purchase, a number of votes will become available for the consumer to assign to their preferred cause. The charity with the highest number of votes will receive funding of £10,000, with the first runner-up receiving £5,000 and the second £2,500. Each of the remaining community groups will receive a contribution of £500 for their efforts towards their activity.

The Spread the Joy with Tolly Boy campaign will be highlighting the causes of various charities such as elderly care, promoting wellbeing, education and uplifting the underprivileged.

Speaking about the event, Steven Perry from Tolly Boy said: “We have always endeavoured to support our communities through various initiatives. This year, we want to further our contribution by helping raise the profile of these groups who do vital work in helping the African and Bangladeshi communities integrate and flourish in the UK.”

Present at the event was Jag Singh, Marketing Manager at Wanis International Foods who said: “It’s fantastic to partner with such an iconic brand for the Spread the Joy with Tolly Boy initiative and help support fantastic organisations that are making a real difference to the communities they serve.”

Anowar Salehin from St Hilda’s East London said: “This opportunity gives us a chance to promote our work at our day care centre for the Bangladeshi elderly – most of whom are disabled and lonely. The centre gives them a chance to socialise and enjoy quality time. If we win the grant, we will be using it to develop a gardening project for them, as at home they are confined indoors and this would be therapeutic for them.”

Representing the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT), Beverly De-Gale said: “This is a complete community engagement programme from Tolly Boy to the consumers and to the charities – who are the main winners, as we get support from all sides. Our message will go out to more people just by picking up one bag of rice! So, hats off to Tolly Boy for picking 20 charities and spreading the good work we are doing and helping us get more funding to work with young people and influence them.”

Present at the event were representatives from the Westminster Bangladeshi Association, ACLT, African Community School, St Hilda’s East Community Centre, Isle of Dogs Bangladeshi Association, Nigerian Community Waltham Forest and Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK.

To support any of the community groups all you need to do is pick up one of the 5kg, 10kg or 20kg packs of Tolly Boy Easy Cook, Long Grain or Basmati Rice from participating stores and vote at:

www.spreadthejoywithtollyboy.co.uk

For over 50 years, Tolly Boy rice has been at the heart of the African and Bangladeshi communities in the UK. It has since become a traditional family favourite, which has been proudly passed down through generations. Be it jollof rice, biryanis or puddings, it has found its place within UK households as a trusted brand and are honoured to be consistently leading the market with rice that is of high quality, easy to cook and loved by customers!

The brand is built upon a strong heritage of feeding the vibrant communities that make up the fabric of modern Britain. We are proud to support the communities we serve, as well as those in the countries we source from.