Our scheme to sign 1,000 people and businesses up to donate regularly has its first business supporter.

Project 1000 Strong has had 73 wonderful people sign up so far to give us a donation every month and our good friend, Raj Beadle – managing director of a company which sells iconic Italian coffee machines throughout the UK – is now giving us an amazing £50 a month.

Raj runs Gaggia UK which is less than a mile from us on the other side of Elland on the Lowfields Business Park.

Raj has supported My Mito Mission many times in the past by providing free coffee and machines for our coffee mornings, making donations and providing coffee machines as raffle prizes.

Here’s what he says about signing up to Project 1000 Strong: “When we learned My Mito Mission had set up Project 1000 Strong it was the logical step for us to take that support to another level by making a regular £50 a month donation.

“Times are tough for charities to fundraise or apply for grants so regular giving helps them to budget for the months and years ahead, knowing what’s coming in and what they can then afford to do to help support people with mitochondrial disease or to put into medical research.”

Our co-founder and chair of trustees Christine Beal adds: “Regular donations are the most powerful way to support our vital work, allowing us as a small, high-energy charity to plan and build from a strong foundation.

“We need a 1000 strong team of amazing people to donate any amount from just £2 a month. Yes, 1000 is a lot but, one by one, we know we can reach it and strengthen the future of Mito awareness, support and research.”

When it comes to donations, just £2 can buy some small tombola prizes and £5 covers a My Mito Mission collecting can while £50 pays for vital counselling appointments for someone impacted by mitochondrial disease and £200 equips a family or individual with their own mission, a ready-made ‘charity in a box’ enabling them to raise awareness and reduce isolation.

Click here to find out more about Project 1000 Strong. 

You can read more about Gaggia UK’s charity work and to see Raj’s interview with Christine here.