Homebase corporate news 2007
Homebase launches new variety of daffodil in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care
07 September 2007
-Daffodil bred in 1970s comes out of private collection-
A brand new variety of daffodil which has been lying unregistered in a private collection for more than 30 years is being launched exclusively next week in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Named ‘Choice’, the bulbs, which will be sold exclusively in all 300 Homebase UK stores for £1 from September 13, will help Marie Curie Cancer Care provide care for terminally ill patients and give more people the choice to die at home. The initiative has the potential to raise £300,000 for the charity in just nine weeks.
Owned by Nocton Ltd, the unique variety of bulb was borne from two parent yellow trumpet daffodil bulbs back in the 1970s when, once cross-pollinated, was found to produce significant differences from the two parent bulbs. Kept for 30 years, it was left unregistered until early this year, when Nocton, Homebase and Marie Curie Cancer Care contacted the RHS, verified the parentage of the bulb and registered it under the name of ‘Choice’.
Matt Graham, horticulture buyer at Homebase, said registering and launching a brand new variety of bulb was hugely exciting: “As a major retailer of garden plants and a charity partner to Marie Curie Cancer Care, it was the perfect opportunity for us to combine our expertise. Customers who purchase the bulbs will be contributing to such a worthwhile charity, with an added bonus of bringing a previously unknown variety of daffodil to life. Each bulb when planted will produce a flower the following spring. It will continue to do so with increasing vigour year after year, thereby giving our customers an annual reminder of Marie Curie Cancer Care and the great work that they do.”
Celine Gomez, corporate development executive at Marie Curie Cancer Care, said: “Being able to launch this exclusive, brand new, variety of daffodil with such a strong message is invaluable to us. It’s fantastic to know that our partnership with Homebase has enabled us to register this daffodil and sell it through their stores – the funds raised will help us to provide more Marie Curie Nurses, helping to address the unequal provision of services across the country and give more people the choice they really deserve.”
A unique website, www.mariecuriebulb.org.uk , has been developed to capture e-mail addresses from those who buy the bulb and wish to support Marie Curie Cancer Care’s ‘Supporting the Choice to Die at Home’ campaign. People will be driven to the site by a leaflet inside the bulb boxes.
