History
The Greggs Foundation is the corporate charity of Greggs plc. Greggs has always been a charitable company. Before the Foundation was established as a grant making trust, Greggs had established a strong reputation in the community, providing a range of social activities such as pie and peas suppers for older people in the Newcastle area.
A brief history of Greggs and the Greggs Foundation
| 1939 | Greggs is established as a door-to-door bakery round. It sells bakery products to many of the mining terraces in Newcastle and surrounding areas |
| 1951 | The first Greggs shop is purchased in order to expand the range and quality of products available. The first shop was bought on Gosforth High Street for £7,750! |
| 1964 | Ian Gregg takes over the business and starts to develop the in-store bakery concept |
| 1967 | The first recorded 'pie n peas' supper event for older residents in Gateshead (pictured above). Greggs begins to develop a reputation as a company with the community at its heart |
| 1983 | The first ever Greggs sponsored Childrens Cancer Run at Gosforth Racecourse, which to date has raised over £5million to support Children's Cancer Research |
| 1987 | To react to the many hundreds of requests for support received on a weekly basis, the Gregg Charitable Trust was established as a family charity to support local hardship. The charity was given gifts of cash and shares to respond to local need |
| 1993 | After six years of small grants, a large grant of £15,000 was awarded to Northumberland Wildlife Trust. This was the first recorded 'Major Grant', through which the Greggs Foundation has now donated over £5million |
| 1994 | Greggs opens its 500th shop! |
| 1994 | Greggs Trust establishes the Hardship Fund, with the collaboration of local trusts to support families and individuals in significant need in the North East. It has gone on to donate over £2.5million |
| 1997 | Greggs Trust as it has become known celebrates its ten-year anniversary. By 1997 it has donated £1,768,000 |
| 1999 | Following a Business in the Community seeing is believing event, Greggs sees the difference that is made by ensuring children get a nutritious start to the school day. As a result, the first Greggs Breakfast Club is established |
| 2003 | Collection boxes are introduced to all shops to raise money to support local charities. Divisional Charity Committees are established to distribute funds. Over time, this becomes the Regional Grants programme, which is still available today |
| 2005 | The hundredth Breakfast Club is supported |
| 2006 | Greggs raises £70,000 for BBC Children in Need Appeal in the first year of supporting the appeal |
| 2009 | Greggs Trust becomes Greggs Foundation, changes its logo and restates is mission statement as 'making a difference to people in need at the heart of our local communities'. Greggs Foundation now manages five grant programmes, North East Core Funding Grants, Local Community Project Fund Grants, Hardship Fund and Breakfast Clubs and also supports other fundraising initiatives raising over £1.8 million per year |
| 2010 | Following a national design competition, Hope is selected as the Greggs Foundation mascot. She was designed by pupils at two of our brilliant Breakfast Club schools |
| 2011 | The total raised for BBC Children in Need Appeal exceeds £1million for the first time ever! |
| 2012 | Greggs Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary |
| 2013 | Greggs Foundation supports its 250th Breakfast Club |
| 2015 | 350th Breakfast Club is opened |
| 2016 | Greggs Foundation launches its Environmental Grants Programme using the funds from the carrier bag charge to improve people's lives by improving the environment |
| 2016 | The first Breakfast Clubs in Northern Ireland are opened and the 400th Breakfast Club is opened |
| 2017 | Greggs Foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary |
By now, Greggs Foundation is a well-established trust and has donated over £32 million to local causes in its 35 year history. It now donates over £3 million per year directly to support people in need in the heart of our local communities and supports Greggs plc to raise over £1million each year for external charity appeals.