RONALD McDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES UK IS CELEBRATING ITS MILESTONE 5TH ANNIVERSARY

• The Cardiff House is saying ‘thank you’ to McDonald’s restaurants in Wales for a £3 million bag tax levy donation
• In 2021 RMHC Cardiff helped accommodate over 345 families, the majority of which live within a 38 mile radius
• Last year the average length of stay at the facility was 13 nights, with one family who remained for 107 nights

Ronald McDonald House Cardiff, operated by Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, is one of 13 Houses across Wales, England, and Scotland, providing free ‘home away from home’ accommodation. All Welsh retail stores, including McDonald’s, must comply with the Welsh Assembly bag levy by charging 5p for a bag. While in England, a charge applies for single-use plastic bags, in Scotland and Wales, the charge also applies to paper bags. In Wales, this has amounted to £3 million, and McDonald’s has decided that all profits from the levy go to Ronald McDonald House Charities UK.

The 30-bedroom Cardiff House supports families from all over Wales and beyond. The running of the House is made possible, in part, thanks to the generous support of McDonald’s customers, restaurants and Franchisees in Wales. The Houses keep families together, close to their children in hospital. They provide a place to sleep, cook and retain a sense of normal life; a lifeline for families at a stressful time, especially when they are far from home. A Ronald McDonald House saves each family an average of £1,240 in out-of-pocket accommodation expenses.

Emily Roux, House Manager of Ronald McDonald House Cardiff, said: “We’re very proud to be celebrating our milestone 5th birthday and the greatest present is reaching £3 million in bag tax donations, thanks to McDonald’s and its Franchisees and customers in Wales.”

“Over the past 11 years, this generous donation has helped an estimated 7,500 families across the UK stay close to their sick children in hospital, which is just incredible. The last thing parents like Amy need to worry about is where to sleep, cook, wash and how they’re going to keep the family together. I’m glad we’re here for families when they’re going through the most challenging of times.”

McDonald’s Franchisee Ron Mounsey, who owns and operates 16 restaurants in Wales, said: “We are all so proud to see how many families the Cardiff House has helped over the past five years. Giving back to the community is such a key factor at McDonald’s and to see the net proceeds of the bag charge go to such a brilliant cause is surely a gratifying moment for us and our customers.”

For more information visit: www.rmhc.org.uk/bags-of-thanks