Garden Centres Raises More Than £100K For Martin House Children’s Hospice

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Yorkshire Garden Centres has reached a major fundraising milestone after raising more than £106,000 for Martin House Children’s Hospice since the partnership began in April 2025.

Across its seven branches, colleagues and customers have thrown themselves behind the partnership, from bake sales and raffles to running, cycling and dragon boat racing. Each branch has its own charity champion and fundraising target, while the Pennies initiative gives customers the option to add 25p to their purchase at the checkout.

Staff have taken on individual challenges, including Dry January and the Great North Run, while CEO Mark Farnsworth has organised and joined cycling challenges. Colleagues also entered two sunflower-themed teams into Martin House’s Dragon Boat Race and took part in an in-store spinathon, cycling the equivalent distance from their stores to the hospice.

Last year, the company played a major part in Martin House’s 36-hour giving challenge for THE BUILD, raising more than £7,000.

Support has gone beyond fundraising too. Staff have donated items to Martin House’s retail team, contributed prizes to the Glitter Ball auction and donated Lego to the hospice. The company has also provided table centres for Martin House Ladies’ Lunches and welcomed children and families to Christmas events and the opening of its Otley Grass Hopper play centre. The partnership will run until June 2027.

Mark Farnsworth, CEO of Yorkshire Garden Centres, said:

“Reaching more than £100,000 is a fantastic milestone and is down to the enthusiasm of our colleagues, customers and charity champions across all seven of our centres.”

“Martin House does incredible work for children and families across Yorkshire, and our teams have really embraced the partnership. Whether it’s taking on a personal challenge, jumping into a dragon boat or simply asking customers to add 25p at the till, everyone has found their own way to get involved.”

“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together so far and look forward to continuing our support.”

Hannah Finan, Partnership Manager at Martin House, said:

“We’re hugely grateful to everyone at Yorkshire Garden Centres for reaching this incredible milestone. What makes the partnership so special is the sheer variety of ways their teams have chosen to support us. From major fundraising challenges to donations, events and welcoming the families we support, their commitment has reached right across Martin House."

“More than £106,000 is an amazing achievement and will make a real difference to the children, young people and families who rely on our care.”

Each year, Martin House supports more than 550 children and young people with life-shortening conditions, and their families, across West, North and East Yorkshire.

Its specialist teams provide care at the hospice in Boston Spa, in hospitals and in families’ own homes, including planned short breaks, symptom management, emergency care and end-of-life care.

Providing this specialist care costs Martin House around £13 million every year, with the majority coming from voluntary donations and fundraising.

For further information about Martin House Children's Hospice and how to support it, visit here.

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Feb 12

3 min read

Commercial cleaning product manufacturer and distributor Robert Scott has added two new AI-powered robots to its steadily expanding cobotics range.

Alastair Scott, sales director at Robert Scott commented:

“For some time, Robert Scott has been championing the MT1, the world’s first AI-powered scrubber dryer robot for large-scale environments, such as warehouses, airports, and shopping centres. Following its success, we are now excited to announce the launch of the new MT1 Vac and MT1 Max,”

The MT1 Vac delivers powerful, industrial-grade suction, capturing everything from fine particles to larger debris with close-edge cleaning along walls and corners. Its low-profile design reaches easily under furniture, and a dual independent air-duct system boosts suction efficiency by 200%. A 6 L trash bin and 14 dust bags provide extended runtime with fewer emptying intervals. AI-powered floor recognition automatically adjusts suction and brush speed to suit carpets or hard floors, protecting surfaces while maintaining performance.

A HEPA-grade filtration system captures over 98% of particles as small as 0.3μm, with an optional HEPA 13 filter offering up to 99.97% efficiency, while 55 cm suction path increases coverage and reduces cleaning time. Modular, tool-free components minimise maintenance and replacement time.

MT1 Vac

The MT1 Vac is the world’s first AI-powered vacuuming robot for large-scale environments. It features a Visual Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (VSLAM) system which enhances navigation in dynamic environments, while an ultra-wide scanning field allows efficient coverage of large areas. Dual disc brushes manage both large debris and fine dust, supported by high-flow negative-pressure ventilation and effective filtration to prevent secondary pollution.

MT1 Max

Built on the successful MT1 platform with enhanced capabilities and designed for indoor and semi-outdoor environments, including warehouses, loading bays and car parks, the MT1 Max is equipped with advanced 3D LiDAR, dual SoCs for greater computing power, and improved obstacle-crossing ability – adapting seamlessly to complex conditions.

With optimised environmental adaptability and a fully automated workflow, MT1 Max ensures safer, smarter, and more efficient cleaning across dynamic spaces. It features a comprehensive multi-dimensional safety system that provides structural protection, intelligent responses, slope climbing, rain avoidance, and efficient obstacle handling, further supported by a 1.2 metre warning light, safety projection, and audible-visual alerts for proactive risk prevention.

Alastair Scott continued:

“Never underestimate the pure theatre of cobotics when the machines look so good. The MT1 Max features a large 3D lidar radar on the top of the robot – which looks like a flashing police light, and which improves its obstacle avoidance and location detection. This means it can also operate outside – although the built-in rain sensor will send it back indoors on wet days!”

Smarter solutions

Alastair continues:

“Expanding our offering in automated cleaning technologies with the MT1 Vac and MT1 Max marks a significant milestone in Robert Scott’s 100+ year history. It is rewarding to be able to demonstrate how our rich heritage and long-standing expertise is continuing to drive us forward as we lead the way in next-generation innovative cleaning solutions."

“As automation, AI and the Internet of Things continue to evolve at a rapid pace, and the cleaning sector seeks smarter solutions to economic challenges, it’s clear that robotics will play a key role in the future of commercial cleaning. Our growing robotics division, backed by 100 years of cleaning know-how, positions us strongly to lead the way in intelligent cleaning tools.”

For more information, please visit here.

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Garden Centres Raises More Than £100K For Martin House Children’s Hospice

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