Tesco : launches Dance Beats fundraiser with three leading UK health charities

19 Jun 2019

Tesco has launched a major national fundraising campaign to support the life-changing work of its three national health charity partners - Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK.

• With cancer, heart and circulatory diseases and diabetes accounting for more than half of all deaths in the UK*, Tesco has launched Dance Beats to support the life-changing work of its three national health charity partners - Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK
• Throughout June and July, Dance Beats will bring the nation together to have fun, show off their moves and raise millions of pounds to tackle the UK's biggest health challenges
• The Dance Beats Super Group, fronted by professional dancers Oti Mabuse and Kimberly Wyatt, pop star Aston Merrygold; and former The Saturdays singer Una Healy, helped kick off the campaign with a spectacular flash mob performance
• Dance Beats will culminate in an epic 30-hour world record attempt where over 6,000 Tesco colleagues and members of the public will come together to break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® title for the world's longest dance marathon relay at Wembley stadium

Tesco has launched a major national fundraising campaign to support the life-changing work of its three national health charity partners - Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK. It follows last year's announcement of a five-year partnership between Tesco and the three charities - Little Helps for Healthier Living.

The major new fundraiser will run for three days of epic dance marathon fundraising events in thousands of Tesco stores across the country on the 18^th,19^th and 20^th of July.

Dance Beats will then conclude with an ambitious GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® attempt at Wembley stadium on the 19^th and 20^th of July where thousands of Tesco colleagues and members of the public will come together to complete a 30-hour dance marathon relay.

Tesco and the UK's three biggest health charities are calling on the public to get behind Dance Beats in one of four ways:

• SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL STORE: Head down to your local Tesco store and support fundraising events on 18^th, 19^th and 20^th July
• JOIN US AT WEMBLEY: Apply for tickets to participate in the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® attempt at Wembley stadium on 19^th and 20^th July
• SHOW US YOUR MOVES: Check out Tesco social channels from the end of June and have a go at performing one of the signature Dance Beats moves. For every dance move you upload, Tesco will donate £10 to the Dance Beats campaign up to a maximum of £100,000
• CREATE YOUR OWN EVENT: Download the Dance Beats fundraising guide and create your own community dance event

To find out more information, apply for tickets to the world record attempt and download the Dance Beats fundraising guide visit www.Tesco.com/DanceBeats

Dave Lewis, Tesco CEO, said:

'Cancer, heart and circulatory diseases and diabetes touch almost every family in the UK, which is why in our centenary year we're launching Dance Beats to support the important work of our three health charity partners. Our colleagues and customers continuously go to amazing lengths to raise millions for charity and we hope Dance Beats will be a great way to fundraise and have some fun through dancing.'

The Dance Beats fundraiser kicked off in spectacular style with a flash mob performance in Osterley, West London. Shoppers were delighted as the Dance Beats Super Group -including celebrities, Tesco colleagues and charity supporters - performed the Dance Beats routine.

Oti Mabuse, star of Strictly Come Dancing and The Greatest Dancer, said:

'Being part of the Dance Beats campaign gives me an opportunity to not only support three wonderful charities but also share my love for dance and the health benefits a good dance session can provide.'

Oti Mabuse is joined in the Dance Beats Super Group by fellow professional dancer and TV personality Kimberly Wyatt, pop star Aston Merrygold, former The Saturdays singer Una Healy, and The Greatest Dancer finalists Harry Smallman and Eleiyah Navis. The group also includes Tesco colleagues as well as inspiring representatives from Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK.

Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK CEO, Simon Gillespie, British Heart Foundation CEO, and Chris Askew, Diabetes UK CEO, jointly commented:

'It's so exciting to be part of Dance Beats, Tesco's new fundraising campaign. Collectively, Dance Beats will support the vital work of the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK. Money raised from the events will help fund pioneering research to improve the lives of those affected by heart and circulatory diseases, cancer and diabetes.'

ENDS

Notes for editors

* Source: Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK (ONS, National Records of Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency). Based on the number of deaths in the UK in 2017 that had neoplasms (ICD-10 C00-D48), diseases of the heart and circulatory system (ICD-10 I00-I99, F01, Q20-Q28) or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (ICD-10 E11) listed as the underlying primary cause of death.

1. Dance Beats follows last year's announcement of a five-year partnership between Tesco, Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK - Little Helps for Healthier Living. The partnership brings together the skills and expertise of the three charities and Tesco to help lower the risk of heart and circulatory disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes. Targeted activities and campaigns include:

• Developing the UK's leading workplace health programme for Tesco's 300,000 UK colleagues
• Aligning communication campaigns in store and online with national health campaigns;
• Training Tesco pharmacists to help them better support customers in the prevention and management of heart and circulatory disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes
• Sharing anonymised sales information to help develop insight on health policy and public health programmes
• Fundraising for more health research - innovative and engaging fundraising initiatives that help customers and colleagues raise money for the three charities

You can find more details on this announcement here.

2. The Dance Beats campaign has its own unique dance routine and signature moves. The routine was specially choregraphed by star of Strictly Come Dancing and The Greatest Dancer Oti Mabuse, and is set to the iconic 1970s disco track September by Earth, Wind and Fire.

3. Almost every family and every community in the UK will be affected by one of these health conditions. Additional statistics of note:

• 1 in 2 people born after 1960 will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime
• Today, 460 people will lose their lives to heart and circulatory diseases
• Someone is diagnosed with diabetes every two minutes

4. More details on Cancer Research UK, The British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK:

5. Tesco PLC is the largest retailer in the UK. More details on our business and our approach to corporate responsibility can be found here: www.tescoplc.com/little-helps-plan

6. The Super Group members:

Oti Mabuse	Star of Strictly Come Dancing & The Greatest Dancer
Kimberly Wyatt	Professional dancer & TV personality
Aston Merrygold	Pop star
Una Healy	Former The Saturdays singer
Sam Quek	Olympic gold medal-winning hockey star
Steph Elswood	Lifestyle & dance social influencer
Harry Smallman & Eleiyah Navis	The Greatest Dancer runners-up
Francesca Ashcroft	Tesco Head Office
Debbie Layfield	Community Champion - Bidston Moss store
Kerry Coles	Tesco Administrative Support - Loughborough store
Bryan Taunton	Community Champion - Bicester store
Judith Cullen	Community Champion - Weston Super Mare store
Shelly Whitmore	Community Champion - Park Road store (Liverpool)
Paul Wilson	Operations Manager - Customer Engagement Centre, Dundee
Jayne Griffiths	Lead Community Champion - Llandrindod Wells store
Maxine Hobson	Tesco Mobile assistant - Newton Abbott store
Jadyn Briggs	British Heart Foundation supergroup member
Shivali Modha	Diabetes UK supergroup member
Marie de Marwicz	Cancer Research UK supergroup member

All monies raised for the Health Partnership will be split equally amongst the three charities. Cancer Research UK, a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464) and in Scotland (SC041666) and in Isle of Man (1103). British Heart Foundation, a registered charity in England and Wales (225971) and in Scotland (SC039426). Diabetes UK, a registered charity in England and Wales (215199) and in Scotland (SC039136).

For further information, including imagery and video content from the campaign launch, please contact:

Dan Pearson, Teneo - 07884 080 201, [e-mail]

Sean Barry, Teneo - 020 7367 6041, [e-mail]

Katie Thomas, Teneo - 020 7367 6008, [e-mail]

For more information please contact the Tesco Press Office on 01707 918 701
We are a team of over 440,000 colleagues dedicated to serving customers a little better every day.