News 2006
Virgin Mobile supports Fashion Targets Breast Cancer®(UK)
17/05/2006
From this week, Virgin Mobile is proud to offer Fashion Targets Breast Cancer mobile phone charms in its stores, with all proceeds going directly to the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity. All money raised for Breakthrough Breast Cancer goes to the charity’s vital research and education projects.
Virgin Mobile is proud to be the first mobile phone network and retailer to be able to offer the distinctive Fashion Targets Breast Cancer mobile phone charms. The charms are designed in the 10th anniversary campaign colour of gold, offset by putty enamel. The charms will be available in 108 Virgin Mobile Stores, and cost a donation of ฃ1 each. All of the money will go directly to Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity.
Virgin Mobile’s sales and marketing director, Graeme Hutchinson, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our support to such an iconic campaign. Mobile phone charms are a hugely popular mobile accessory these days, and we are sure that our customers will be proud to choose a mobile phone charm that will demonstrate their support for this great cause.“
Peter Reynolds, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Breakthrough Breast Cancer said: “We are absolutely delighted to have the support of Virgin Mobile for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. Virgin Mobile will play a key part in making this Fashion Targets Breast Cancer bigger and golder than ever for Breakthrough. The money they raise will help Breakthrough to continue with its vital research, campaigning and education work.”
Notes to Editors:
For more information please contact:
Virgin Mobile
Alison Bonny: (07802) 430276 or alison.bonny@virginmobile.com
Breakthrough Breast Cancer
Marie Watton: 020 7025 2454 or mariew@breakthrough.org.uk
Breakthrough Breast Cancer
- Fashion Targets Breast Cancerฎ is licensed by the Council of Fashion Designers of America / CFDA Foundation, Inc., USA. Fashion Targets Breast Cancer is organised by Breakthrough Promotions Limited which is wholly owned by and gives all its taxable profits to Breakthrough Breast Cancer registered charity number 1062636 under the Gift Aid scheme.
- Ralph Lauren launched Fashion Targets Breast Cancer in 1994, after a close friend Nina Hyde, fashion editor of the Washington Post died of breast cancer. Mr Lauren continues to serve as Honorary Chair.
- Breakthrough Breast Cancer introduced the FTBC campaign to the UK in 1996. Designer Amanda Wakeley and fashion journalist Caryn Franklin co-chaired the first Executive Committee and have continued to lead the campaign, giving their support and confirming the campaign’s importance in the fashion world. Now approximately 50 leading figures in fashion give their support through the Executive Committee, and many other people in the fashion industry are also active supporters.
- Every month, more than 1,000 women die from breast cancer. One in nine women will be affected by breast cancer at some stage in her life, devastating thousands of families. That is why it is vital that Breakthrough’s research continues to discover how breast cancer can be prevented, to discover the causes and to continue to develop new treatments so it can eventually be eliminated from society.
- Breakthrough Promotions Limited is wholly owned by, and gives all its taxable profits to, Breakthrough Breast Cancer under the Gift Aid Scheme.
About Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK) plc, the UK's largest mobile virtual network operator, is majority owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 4 million customers*.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Stores within Virgin Megastores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Dixons, Phones 4u, Curry's, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Argos, TOMO, Woolworths, Toys R Us and Ryman plus hundreds of independents mobile phones dealers and available via Shop Direct, Littlewoods, Grattan and Empire home shopping channels.
Virgin Mobile Pay Monthly (contract) is currently available in Virgin Mobile Stores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4u and at concessions in WHSmith and at www.virginmobile.com
Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,400 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough.
Virgin Mobile's customers were found to be the most-satisfied mobile consumers in the pre-pay sector for two years running in 2005 and 2004, according to the surveys by J.D. Power and Associates. Virgin Mobile is also featured in `The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For’ list 2005 and is part of the FTSE4Good Index.
*On a 90-day activity basis
