Publish date: 20 September 2024
Our salary ‘micro donation’ scheme, Pennies from Heaven, has rebranded to Microhive.
The scheme allows you to donate the spare change from your monthly pay packet to our dedicated charity, Mersey Cares, helping to fund staff wellbeing projects and initiatives that benefit our colleagues.
If you’re already signed up to Pennies from Heaven, you don’t need to do anything. The concept and operation remain the same, it just has a new name. Your micro-donations will continue as before and will now appear on your payslip as ‘Microhive’.
For those who aren’t registered, the rebrand is a great opportunity to tell you more about the scheme and how opting in could help us raise more than £70,000 annually to support the wellbeing of our staff and volunteers across Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.
How do I sign up?
Signing up really easy – simply fill in the details on the Microhive website by clicking the button below. You will need your employee number to complete registration.
Microhive (formerly Pennies from Heaven) is a workplace giving scheme that allows you to donate the spare change from your monthly pay—never more than 99p—to Mersey Cares, our Mersey Care NHS Charity. These small, regular donations might seem modest, but together, they can make a significant impact, enabling us to fund initiatives that benefit our staff and volunteers.
Though each individual contribution is small, the collective power of micro-donations is substantial. As of May 2024, NHS staff across 120 organisations have collectively contributed £1.6 million through Pennies from Heaven/Microhive, with much of this funding supporting NHS charities.
Microhive rounds down the pennies in your monthly wage and automatically donates this ‘spare change’. For example, if your pay is £850.34, you would keep £850, and 34p would be donated to our NHS charity, Mersey Cares.
Every penny raised through Microhive will directly support workforce wellbeing projects and initiatives within Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. Your contributions could help fund more projects like the recent "Wellbeing on Wheels," "Wellbeing Through Wildlife," and the "Pause for Thought" menopause campaign.
These initiatives, delivered by our Occupational Health and Wellbeing Service, represent exactly the kind of project we aim to sustain and expand, allowing even more staff to benefit, through our own independent funding.
Q: What is Microhive?
A: Microhive (formerly Pennies from Heaven) is a workplace giving scheme that allows you to donate the spare change from your monthly pay—never more than 99p—to Mersey Cares, our Mersey Care NHS Charity. These small, regular donations might seem modest, but together, they can make a significant impact, enabling us to fund initiatives that benefit our staff and volunteers.
Q: What are the benefits of micro-donations?
A: Though each individual contribution is small, the collective power of micro-donations is substantial. As of May 2024, NHS staff across 120 organisations have collectively contributed £1.6 million through Pennies from Heaven/Microhive, with much of this funding supporting NHS charities.
Q: How does Microhive work?
A: Microhive rounds down the pennies in your monthly wage and automatically donates this ‘spare change’. For example, if your pay is £850.34, you would keep £850, and 34p would be donated to our NHS charity, Mersey Cares.
Q: What will your donations fund?
A: Every penny raised through Microhive will directly support workforce wellbeing projects and initiatives within Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. Your contributions could help fund more projects like the recent ‘Wellbeing on Wheels’, ‘Wellbeing Through Wildlife’, and our award-nominated ‘Pause for Thought’ menopause campaign. These initiatives, delivered by our Occupational Health and Wellbeing Service, represent exactly the kind of project we aim to sustain and expand, allowing even more staff to benefit, through our own independent funding.
Q: Do I need to sign up every month?
A: Once you’ve joined, the pennies will automatically be donated from your net pay each month. There’s no need to sign up again.
Q: Why the name change?
A: Kate Frost, CEO of Microhive said of the rebrand: “We want to expand micro-giving across the UK, and as part of our commitment to innovation and growth, we’ve rebranded as Microhive. The new name reflects the power of micro donations and the collaborative, growth-oriented nature of a hive,”
Q: Can I donate more than the pennies from my pay?
A: No, the maximum donation is 99p.
Q: Can I give to an alternative charity?
A: No, not via Microhive. The partnership has been set up with the Trust and Mircrohive, to benefit our NHS charity, Mersey Cares. You can of course set up a regular payment with any charity by contacting them.
Q: Can I stop donating? What happens if I leave the Trust?
A: Microhive is completely flexible. You can stop donating at any time, and deductions will cease after your last payday if you leave the Trust.
Q: I am bank staff; can I join?
A: Not yet, but Microhive is working on making this possible in the future.
Q: Are my donations eligible for Gift Aid?
A: Yes, your donations qualify for Gift Aid, which allows charities to claim an additional 25% on top of your donation at no extra cost to you.
Microhive is part of a nationwide effort that has raised £8 million for over 800 charities across the UK. To learn more and join the scheme, visit www.microhive.org.uk
Thank you for your generosity and continued support. Together, we can make a big difference—one penny at a time!