In the community
Overview
Our policy on charitable giving is to concentrate on one main charity. However, we are also committed to supporting the communities we serve and individual stores also support local initiatives.
Charity partnerships
In 2007, Halfords centenary year, the business partnered its first ever Charity Of The Year, the Meningitis Trust. Colleagues reached the fundraising target of £100,000 for the Trust with stores selling special pin badges, holding events and individual colleagues undertaking a variety of challenges ranging from running marathons to charity auctions. This has helped to not only raise the profile of the Meningitis Trust but has also highlighted the causes and symptoms of the disease to both colleagues and customers. In 2008 we have chosen to work with the Meningitis Trust for a further 12 months.
We are also supporting the high profile Help For Heroes charity to raise money for wounded servicemen and women returning from Afghanistan and Iraq by becoming the title sponsor of the Halfords Help For Heroes Bike Ride. The ride took place at the end of May 2008, covering all the key First World War and Second World War battle sites in France before returning to London where the sponsored team of 300 were joined by other bike riders for the ride to the Cenotaph.
Sponsorship
We have made history by signing the first ever commercial sponsorship deal with British Cycling. In this Olympic year, the entire GB cycling squad, encompassing road, track, BMX and mountain bike riders, are now sporting the Halfords Bikehut brand on their racing kit.
The Halfords Bikehut brand received its first national TV exposure on the BBC during the World Championships in March when the British squad won an impressive nine gold medals. This sponsorship is further evidence of our desire to build credibility amongst premium cycle enthusiasts. Many of the GB cycling team are also members of the newly formed Team Halfords Bikehut race team who exclusively ride the Boardman Pro road bike, launched in partnership with Halfords in 2007. The sponsorship is being fully supported with marketing and PR plans and in all stores with high profile branding and imagery of the GB team.
We are also entering into our eighth year as a sponsor of the British Touring Car Championships with Team Halfords’ two distinctive orange and black Hondas. The Championship runs from March until the end of September and is shown live on ITV and also on the Setanta Sports channel.
Industry Forums
Halfords values opportunities to work closely with trade associations, research institutes, standards authorities, universities and government organisations to improve performance standards and safety. Representatives from the quality department are members of British and International standards technical committees associated with automotive accessories and cycles.