A father-daughter duo raise a whopping £23,000 for the UK’s only baby-specific hospice.
Father-daughter duo and avid Funko Pop Figure collectors, Danny (40) and Jasmine Pallent (14), from Middlesbrough, have raised a whopping £23,000 for Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice, with the help of Birmingham based Funko Pop Figures supplier, Pop Figures.
Having gotten into Funko Pop Figures in 2016 after one of Danny’s friends introduced them to the figures, Danny and Jasmine set up their own YouTube channel, DannyJaz, where they stream unboxings of Funko Pop Figures. Since their humble beginnings, they have amassed 5.58K followers and built up an extensive collection comprising of rare and limited-edition figures and collections from across the globe, which has taken over a whole room in their home.
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Previously in 2018, the duo reached out to Zoë’s Place to donate some items, which the charity then used in its fundraising activity. The money raised went towards providing respite, palliative and end-of-life care to babies and children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.
More recently, having seen that Zoë’s Place hospices had been closed and struggling as a result of Covid-19, Danny & Jasmine wanted to do something more to help.
Danny explained: “We have supported Zoë’s Place a lot throughout the years because they are our local charity and because the work they do for babies is amazing.
“With Zoë’s Place being just around the corner, it means a lot to us to be able to support our local community in any way we can.
“We know that Zoë’s Place can only continue doing amazing things and helping children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions through fundraising. We are in a position where we can help, so we helped.”
Having close connections in the Funko Pop Figures community, Danny & Jasmine decided they would contact one of their suppliers, Pop Figures, in September of this year to see if they could purchase products at a reduced price to raise some funds for the charity.
After being so moved by the mission, services and care provided by Zoë’s Place, the company decided to donate 500 boxes of Funko Pop Figures instead of discount them, which, for them, would ensure a 100% profit for Zoë’s Place. Not only did Pop Figures decide to donate the 500 boxes, but they also agreed to double what Danny and Jasmine raised.
The figures were then sold within the space of a week, raising over £7,000 alone.
When Danny and Jasmine approached Popfigures to let them know the items had been sold and to explain the situation the charity was in as a result of Covid-19*, the company decided that they were no longer going to double what had been raised, but triple it instead.
In October 2020, Danny and Jasmine visit Zoë’s Place at the Middlesbrough hospice to deliver the good news and pose with the ‘Big Cheque’ on behalf of the Funko Pop Figures community, Pop Figures and themselves.
Danny and Jasmine Pallent bringing their whopping £23,000 donation into the hospice
On talking about the support of their supporters and Pop Figures, Danny said:
“I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who donated by purchasing a mystery box, and to Pop Figures for donating the pops, the full £15 box then tripling the final amount raised. It’s such an amazing company with amazing owners.”
Rachael Bareham, Community and Events Fundraiser at Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice, said: “In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Zoë’s Place has had to make significant cutbacks to the services it provides due to the immediate cancellation of most fundraising events. Instead, the charity has had to rely on incredible fundraisers such as Danny and Jasmine, who have been able to get creative in how they can help us to raise money.
“The amazing work of Danny, Jasmine and everyone else that was involved in this fundraising initiative has meant that a significant amount of money has been raised for the charity, which will make such a difference to the work we do and will go a long way in aiding us to get back on our feet again.
“It’s not every day someone calls to tell you they have just raised £23,000 to go towards – and directly impact – the work we do and the families we support. So, on behalf of the babies, children and families we look after – plus the whole team at Zoë’s Place – thank you.”
Whilst the Funko pop figures are no longer available to purchase in aid of Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice, you can donate to the charity here. If you would like to set up your own fundraising initiative for the charity, similar to Danny & Jasmine’s, please email marketing@zoes-place.org.uk.
