Share your thoughts on Matalan’s Alder Hey campaigns - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

Having earned themselves a Mumsnet Family Friendly gold award, Matalan understand how to provide a great customer experience for families. However, what you might not know is that for the past 3 years they have also been working in partnership with Alder Hey Children’s hospital in Liverpool, to fund a life-saving innovation centre, for much needed research into finding cures for childhood conditions such as arthritis, cancer and diabetes.

So far in a bid to raise funds, Matalan have run campaigns selling alphabetical scarves, beanie and bobble hats, and striped pyjamas - with lots of big name celebrities getting involved too!

Matalan say “The partnership between Alder Hey and Matalan has been going for 3 years now. Back in 2014 we set about raising awareness of the hospital charity and how even though they are a North West based hospital they are in fact one of the busiest children’s hospital in Europe - treating children from right across the UK. As well as driving awareness we committed to raise £1.5M towards the new research and innovation centre that would benefit children across the country and in some cases the world. In just 3 years we've already smashed that target, raising £1.6M.”

Now Matalan want to hear your thoughts on their campaigns so far, as well as hearing your ideas for what products they would like to see in stores next year to help raise even more money.

Do take some time to watch the documentary about one of the children that has been helped by the new research centre and to find out more. Share on this thread which have been your favourite of the Matalan & Alder Hey campaigns so far and why? Have you ever purchased any of these products in the past or would you consider doing so in the future? The team at Matalan are also keen to hear your ideas for their future campaigns, so please add to the thread below with your ideas for future projects.

Previous campaigns include Alphabet Scarves in 2014, Bobble vs Beanie in 2015 and Get your Stripes PJs in 2016

Add your thoughts on the campaigns to date and your ideas on what they can do this year and you will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will get a £300 Love2Shop voucher (which can be spent in Matalan and other stores!).

Thanks and good luck
Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

[Teaspoon74]

Originally from Liverpool, I have huge respect for the work done at Alder Hey and think it's great that a national store has chosen to support the hard working team there.

The Matalan scarves and hats are great and I remember the adverts, but wonder how many people without a local / pre-existing interest in the hospital would remember the cause being supported?

Maybe incorporating "Hey" into the campaign in some way and/or something identifiable with Alder Hey itself?

[finova]

I remember the scarves and hats which were both great ideas- particularly the scarves as I liked the colours.

I missed the pyjamas, they look like they'd have been great for Christmas too.

In terms of future campaigns:-
Cosy blankets-again could be personalised with an initial- to sit under watching tv/cosy in bed/after playing out in the snow/ as a picnic blanket or as a cover for a parent stuck in a chair by a hospital bed.

Personalised baubles with initials

Onesies

Paper cut initial in frame

Christmas jumper

Kindness advent calendar (with chocolate and a good deed to do each day)

Hooded beach/swimming towels in adult as well as children's sizes

[cowgirlsareforever]

I've bought the hats and scarves in the past. The pyjamas were like hens teeth this year so I didn't manage to buy any. Had they been available I would have done so. It's a brilliant campaign.

[ButterflyOfFreedom]

Sounds like a brilliant campaign- though I hadn't heard of it until now!?!
All the products (hats/ scarves / pyjamas) look fab and I probably would have bought them if I'd known about them.

Future ideas:
Bibs
Muslin squares / cloths
Blankets
Socks / Slipper socks

[Anononoo]

It is a shame that private business steps in where government fails. So contingent.

[asuwere]

I have seen the previous campaigns (from discussions on here) but have never bought any. I don't really like it as its usually limited editions and sadly it does mean people sell them for crazy prices on ebay! I think it would be better to just donate a %age of profits and have lots of posters up in store to promote the cause and raise awareness.

[WarmHugs]

Both of my own DC have been helped by Alder Hey, I have nothing but praise for them.

Favourite would be the scarves, very good quality.

I would suggest a pin badge/brooch, something I can pick up easily when shopping. Maybe a variety of styles so we can collect them all. The problem with the scarf was that I only needed one!

[BillyButtfuck]

It's a really strong campaign here although the products have been high demand and low supply so for future it would be great to have better availability

[NauticalDisaster]

I like that they support Alder Hey. I only became aware of the campaign this past Christmas when they were selling the pyjamas. I like the concept and with I had known before they were all sold out.

I like idea of being able to buy a different patterned hat/scarf/mitten for my children each year. Also to make it available to all parts of the UK equally and fairly,

[FeelingSmurfy]

I have been impressed with this partnership, I don't know whether it's the products or the advertising or the charity, but I have seen friends and family around the country buying the products, taking pictures of them and asking people to look out for certain sizes/letters. A lot of these people wouldn't have even heard of the hospital without these items being sold

I'm sure it's also good for matalan as it gets people through the doors, so I hope that this is incentive enough to have them continue with this.

[Trumpton]

I became aware of the campaign in 2014 when a local lad who had suffered sepsis was a model for them . His recovery is still on going and as a small island we use Alder Hey for our very sick children .
I always support these campaigns and think they really hit the button this year with the social media message "Get your stripes on "
How about "Warm hands and warm hearts " for gloves. Again all the family could wear them.
Or "Snuggle up " for fleece blankets. We all love a blankie !
I do like the idea from TeaSpoon74 that "Hey !" Could be incorporated into the campaign .

[leccybill]

Matalan HQ is just up the road from me, and I've used Alder Hey on a few occasions and know a few children whose lives have been saved there.
I'm happy to see this partnership. We have the alphabet scarves (v hard to come by though) but couldn't get any pyjamas, so my biggest suggestion is more stock!!
I like the pin badges idea above, or maybe a tote bag or lunch bag.

[Summerholidayblues]

I think this is a great campaign.

I really like the bobble hats, mittens and scarves and like the idea of a different one each year. A Canadian store did fluffy red mittens for the Vancouver Olympics and they were amazingly popular and really high profile. People went into the store for the first time just to get the mittens.

Shopper / canvas shoulder bags - for example personalised with letters or graphic prints, especially if child friendly too, would be great.

Socks would be great too although a little less obvious!

If publicised more, I think it could draw new people into the store.

[foxessocks]

I wasn't aware of this campaign but would definitely support it in future, I think it's a great partnership.

[1stDinkyDecker]

Loved the scarf campaign, the beanie and bobble was a more subtle campaign, less obvious unless you know what you were looking at. Get your stripes on was great fun. Looking forward to seeing what they come up with next.

[WholeL0ttaRosie]

I think it's a great campaign and can remember seeing the scarves and hats but not the pyjamas.
I love that Matalan are committed to helping Alder Hey in this way and look forward to seeing what they come up with this year.

[Feargalthecat]

I'm from Liverpool and I too think it's a great partnership, all the products so far have been in demand equally for their appeal to people because they've been so good as well as the feel good factor of supporting a good cause.

Perhaps introduce a summer theme beach towels and beach bags?

[Theimpossiblegirl]

The Mumsnet Christmas bargain threads made me aware of the campaign- the scarves last year and the pjs this year were very popular, affordable gifts.

It's a great partnership that could be better publicised.

[Singingforsanity]

I'm not often in Matalan and haven't previously heard of the campaign, but what an amazing job! I think it would help if the point that it is for the research facility (rather than direct care) that benefits from the funding is stressed, otherwise people may think it's just local kids who are benefiting. A more local approach to the campaign might therefore help, for example 'Baffies fir Bairns' in Scotland ('slippers for kids' in Scots). I can't think of Welsh or Irish equivalents, sorry

[prwilson]

I think it's a great idea to raise awareness and also to raise some much needed money.

[Maggiemoomoo17]

It's the first time Iv heard of this. A good idea would be to advertise this on social media if they haven't done already. I would definitely go to buy something. Maybe something with a picture on that one of the children had drawn. Socks would be good because people seem to love novelty socks rather than clothes.

[ThemisA]

Great initiative - everything commercial organisations can do to support worthy causes gets my thumbs up. They could produce a book of ideas to keep children busy and active in the summer with contributions from Matalan customers and celebrities.

[LBOCS2]

I actually think that the scarcity of the products make them more desirable so I don't necessarily think that it's a bad thing - but what I would say is perhaps they could help Alder Hey capitalise on that demand by donating some for auctioning off? The pyjamas were going for silly money on eBay and it's a shame the hospital didn't see any of it.

I think it's a great initiative. We had the pyjamas this year and I wouldn't have been so prepared to spend the money on them if it weren't for a cause I support; I was pleased that my money was going to Alder Hey.

[cwalliss82]

I wasn't aware that this campaign existed. I will look out for it in the future.

[xcxcsophiexcxc]

I didn't realise about the campaign before but now I do and will look out on how to support it when in matalan