UPDATED A charity that has supported vulnerable Putney residents since 1907 is asking local shoppers to vote for it in Waitrose’s Community Matters scheme.
The Putney Relief Committee, based at St Mary’s Church on the High Street, is one of three charities competing for funding at Waitrose Putney this quarter. The charity with the most green token votes will receive £1,500, with £1,000 for second place and £500 for third.
The committee provides monthly grants to elderly residents and others in need, helping with immediate expenses such as heating bills. It also makes one-off payments for holidays and organises community events including an annual Christmas party.
Kate Umney, Chair of the Putney Relief Committee, said the charity supports a wide range of people in need across the community. “We help everyone from schools, families, homeless, medical emergencies, people in crisis and obviously the elderly too,” she said. “We are for everyone in our community.”
According to Charity Commission figures, the organisation had an income of £5,562 in the year to September 2025 and spent £7,077 supporting local people. The potential £1,500 top prize would represent a significant boost to its resources.
Shoppers can vote by collecting a free green token when they pay and dropping it in their chosen charity’s box. The voting station is located behind the self-checkout area. Tokens should be available at both manned tills and self-checkouts, but ask staff if you are not offered one.
The voting period is expected to end in late January, based on the scheme’s quarterly cycle. Waitrose relaunched its green token voting stations in October 2025 after suspending them during the Covid pandemic.
The other two charities in this quarter’s vote are Rescue Remedies Dog and Cat Rescue and Royal Trinity Hospice London.
Rescue Remedies is a volunteer-run organisation based near Gatwick that saves dogs from council pound euthanasia lists. It rehomes more than 300 dogs each year, mainly to families in London and the South East, specialising in terriers and staffies. The charity has no premises costs and claims no expenses, with all donations going directly to veterinary and kennelling bills.
Royal Trinity Hospice, based in Clapham, is the oldest hospice in the UK, founded in 1891. It provides free end-of-life care to around 2,500 patients annually across central and south west London, including all of Wandsworth borough. The hospice needs to raise £13 million each year, with only a third of its funding coming from the NHS.
The Waitrose Community Matters scheme donates £4 million annually to local causes across the country. Since launching in 2008, it has given more than £50 million to charities and community groups.
Update 22 Jan, 10.30am: Added comment from Kate Umney, Chair of Putney Relief Committee, clarifying the range of people the charity supports.
