The John Lewis Partnership is joining forces with leading charities to boost support of the most vulnerable in society during the current crisis.
A donation of £75,000 will initially be given to each charity, including Age UK, FareShare and the Trussell Trust. The funding will be used for immediate activity in response to the coronavirus outbreak, giving vital help to those in local communities undergoing isolation and food insecurity.
The Partnership is committed to working with the charities over the coming months to support them through the challenges caused by coronavirus, including identifying how Partnership resources can be best used to match charity need, for example through volunteering and product donations.
Earlier this week, the John Lewis Partnership also announced new measures to support customers, including the launch of a £1million Community Support Fund to help local communities along with a protected shopping hour for the elderly and vulnerable. The retailer also launched a support fund to aid Partners of the John Lewis Partnership who are facing additional costs as a result of the pandemic; such as childcare costs. Partners will also be offered free meals at work.
Caroline Silke, Social Impact Manager for the John Lewis Partnership, said: “The John Lewis Partnership is committed to supporting those most in need in our local communities. Increasing our support of these vital charities, so they can shore up their operations and plan for the uncertainty of the next few months, is critical. ”
Laurie Boult, Fundraising Director of Age UK, said: “This is a period of great anxiety for everyone, but especially for older people and their loved ones. Age UK is determined to be there for older people who need our help and especially for those who have no one else to turn to in this time of crisis. Thank you to the John Lewis Partnership for making sure we can respond to the growing needs and unprecedented demand we’re seeing.”
Lindsay Boswell, CEO of FareShare, said: “This donation is a fantastic injection into the work which FareShare does up and down the country, supporting vulnerable people with food. At this time of COVID-19 crisis, the John Lewis Partnership is enabling FareShare to ensure that we’re meeting the needs of those most at risk and we’re delighted to be continuing our partnership together following the successful Community Festive Feasts project we began last year.”
Emma Revie, Chief Executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the support of the John Lewis Partnership in this time of crisis. The coronavirus pandemic poses an unprecedented challenge and as it progresses, more people than ever may need help from food banks across our network. We know that together we can better support communities across the UK so we are truly grateful for this vital support. Please look at our website to find out more about food banks and coronavirus.”
The Partnership will also donate money to industry partners GroceryAid and retailTRUST.
