Glasgow wholesaler builds charity mission for 2025
GLASGOW wholesaler JW Filshill has strengthened its commitment to raising £150,000 for charitable causes this year after taking part in the Glasgow Kiltwalk on 27 April.
As part of the wholesaler’s mission to raise £150k as part of its 150 year anniversary, team members from Filshill took part in the charity event in support of the six charities the team has chosen to support in 2025.
Chosen by Filshill staff, the charities are:
• Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS)
• Dementia Scotland
• Cancer Research UK
• MND Scotland
• Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA)
• GroceryAid
Simon Hannah, chief executive officer at Filshill, described the Kiltwalk as a “wonderful day that saw out colleagues, customers, suppliers and their families join together in camaraderie and a united cause to raise funds for our chosen charities.”
He said: “A huge thank you to everyone who took part in the Kiltwalk over the weekend in support of the six charities we are supporting in 2025.”
Filshill said the six charities represent the large demographics of the communities they serve as part of the celebrations as the firm continues to celebrate its 150th year of the business.
Dr Jackie Beasley, head of research management at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute, said: “We do rely on people making donations. And I’m always very humbled by people who contact us and send us a cheque and say, ‘it’s my birthday but I’ve decided not have any birthday presents this year, I’m going to donate to the charity because I think this is really important.
“There’s a whole range of things that people do. They do fun runs, they have tea parties and it’s just fantastic. But also, we’re really just keen to hear their stories and for them to come and talk to us about what’s happened in their cancer journey, or with family members.”
Mandi Leonard, welfare director at GroceryAid, said: “About 82% of our income comes from our central events and the rest comes in through donations, legacies, that sort of thing. And some work we do with a couple of trusts within the industry as well, but we run fundraising events throughout the year.
“We have 16 central events and businesses pay to attend those events. And the income that we generate from those events then comes directly back into our welfare budget.”
Dean Widd, regional fundraising lead for the north of Scotland at SSPCA, said: “The funds being raised from the participation of the Filshill staff getting involved and friends and family raising funds for the charity – that will help our running costs of helping to look after the animals in our care.
“So, it’ll be immense, absolutely fantastic. We don’t get any government funding, so evert penny coming through will make a massive difference.”
Lynne Wiseman, fundraising lead at MND Scotland, said: “MND Scotland relies on companies like Filshill as we do not receive any government funding and with MND, once you’re diagnosed, the life expectancy is around 18 months. It’s a brutal disease.
“Our vision is to have a world with no MND. So Filshill choosing us as one of their charity partners is fantastic. In terms of building awareness – that’s huge for us.”
Georgina Bushell, fundraiser at CHAS, said: “We’re so excited to be working with Filshill and we’re so grateful that you’ve chosen us. We are like you – we’re across Scotland, we’re in every community, and you can really help us raise awareness of what we do so that people who might need our support.”
Filshill’s 150th anniversary celebrations will culminate with its Anniversary Celebration Dinner in October to mark the firm’s journey from a confectionery manufacturer in Glasgow’s Gallowgate in 1875 to its position today as an award-winning wholesaler.
The Glasgow wholesaler recently picked up a gong at the Scottish Wholesaler Association’s Achievers Awards in February, taking the ‘Sustainable Wholesaler of the Year’ award.
Simon Hannah said: “What makes our 150th anniversary fundraising mission so special is that the six charities have been chosen by our staff who have a particular interest in each one, because of their own personal experience, or that of family and friends.”
