Discount retailer QD Group, which has a store in Hadleigh, has donated £23,205.00 to Break, the East Anglian children's care charity, who provide young people on the edge of care, in care and leaving care with a healthy childhood and the life-long support they need to enjoy a bright and successful future.

These funds have been raised since QD announced Break as its chosen charity partner last year. QD has donated all the proceeds from the 10p plastic carrier bag charge across its stores and garden centres and also customer donations in collection tubs on the tills.

Karl Ottolangui, operations director for the QD Group, said: "We are delighted to make this first donation to Break, which is a great way to kick off our new charity partnership.

"Thank you to our customers who have helped us to raise this brilliant first amount of £23,205. We are all looking forward to really getting behind the charity this year to raise some more much-needed funds for a fantastic local cause."

In addition to the carrier bag charge proceeds and customer donations, staff across the stores, head office and distribution centre are hoping to raise funds through events and outdoor challenges as the year progresses and COVID-19 restrictions ease.

QD has also been confirmed as a sponsor for Break's GoGoDiscover Trail, sponsoring a mighty two metre tall T.rex sculpture, which will be part of this summer's family-friendly fundraising trail in Norwich for Break.

Peter Marron, corporate fundraising and project manager at Break, said: "We cannot thank QD enough for this amazing and generous donation.

"We are really looking forward to working alongside their staff and customers throughout the year with an array of additional fundraising activities as part of our charity of the year partnership.

"It's a really exciting year for Break, with the T.rex sculptures back onto the city streets with more friends joining them across the county to form a mammoth GoGoDiscover trail. We are really looking forward to seeing the design of QD's sponsored sculpture come to life in the next few weeks.

"Break's work supports some of the most vulnerable in our community and every penny raised means that we are able to offer opportunities that support and enable children and young people on the edge of care, in care and leaving care to dream big and achieve their goals, no matter their start in life."

For more information on QD, visit www.qualitydiscounts.com.

For more information about Break, visit break-charity.org.