The ‘Geared for Giving’ campaign has reached its target of making workplace giving schemes available to more than a million employees.

The campaign, which was launched in 2008 by entrepreneur and author Duncan Bannatyne and MP Anne Snelgrove, has raised more than £1.2 million for hundreds of charities with over £8 million pledged.

Organisations participating in the campaign include: Yorkshire and Clydesdale Bank, Barclays, Arcadia, Boots, ASOS.com, H&M, London Stock Exchange and the Financial Services Authority.

Sir Nicholas Young, chief executive of the British Red Cross, said: “This year alone nearly £500,000 will be donated to the British Red Cross by the kind people who give to us, month in month out, directly from their salaries.

“Every penny and every pound that is donated to the British Red Cross through workplace giving makes a difference. We cannot do that without companies large and small getting behind the ‘Geared for Giving’ Campaign.”

Bannatyne added: “As an employer, you should not be asking yourself, why would I do this? You should be asking, why wouldn’t I?

"The campaign has reached a million more, but why stop there? There are still nine million employees without access to the scheme so let’s extend the campaign and double the original target.”

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