Styvechale Pharmacy based in Coventry, is situated within a one minute distance from the nearest doctors surgery, making itthe prime place for patients to visit. Located on a row with six premises, including a hairdresser, butchers, post office, Indian takeaway and a Nisa minimarket the pharmacy is in a key location for patients and customers as part of their daily errand run.
In October 2018, pharmacist owner Pradeep Duggal hosted a fundraising event for Macmillan Cancer Trust, which included a bake sale and coffee morning and Pradeep took part in ‘brave the shave’ where he had his head shaved for the charity.
Pradeep explains what motivated him to hold a fundraising event in his pharmacy, “I wanted to do something that I could give back to the community and that would bring them together. The staff, the customers and the surrounding businesses, all supported the event in one way or another and it was a really good day. I had one of my patients tell me that this is the first time they had had a fundraising event in the community and that it has really bought them all together. Which is so nice, but at the same time feels a bit heart wrenching that we didn’t do this sooner.”
As well as the staff getting fully involved by baking and bringing in treats for the bake sale, Pradeep explained that some patients took part in supporting the event by also bringing in cakes to sell and the local Nisa store provided crisps and drinks. Jordan Boam the dispenser in the pharmacy organised the coffee morning and was excited as well as relieved that it was a success and from moving from Mansfield to Coventry she felt that this event secured her place in the local community.
On the day of the event, it was amazing to see the support Pradeep and his team had from their patients and the pharmacy was filled with an
uplifting atmosphere. The pharmacy was busy with patients all enjoying a slice of cake and a coffee before cheering Pradeep on as he ‘braved the shave’ and got his head completely shaved by one of the hairdresser’s next door.
“I suppose it is kind of a way to say thank you to everybody,” Pradeep continued, “as much as I am providing a service to the community; as a
businessman they are helping my business to stay up and running and obviously by giving back to charity, you can’t do anything better.”
Pradeep said that it was an easy choice to support Macmillan Cancer Trust as cancer affects so many people and almost everybody has been affected by cancer at some point in their lives. The event was a way that his patients could remember a loved one who has been affected by the disease and a way for him and his staff to remember patients they have treated and lost.
As well as bringing his regular patients together, the run up to the fundraising event coincided with Pradeep’s flu vaccination service and a large number of patients visiting Styvechale Pharmacy for a flu vaccination were not regular patients. This enabled him to encourage them to come back and support the cause and in turn, return to the pharmacy for further services.
As well as raising money for a wonderful cause, Pradeep also explained that holding something different in pharmacy had another positive outcome, “patients don’t want to spend a lot of time in a pharmacy or a doctor’s surgery as it is associated with being ill, but to detach yourself from that even slightly, although you are indirectly talking about an illness, it brings a bit of fun to pharmacy.”
As well as the donations taken on the day for the baked goods and head shaving, Pradeep also had a Just Giving page set up online and the total raised was an incredible £3,672.
After the success of this event, Pradeep plans to hold more fundraising events in the future.