John Lewis supports thousands of families during the UK’s cold spell

John Lewis continued with its ‘Give a Little Love’ campaign by donating nearly 5,000 items of warm clothing to families in need during the UK’s freezing temperatures in the past few weeks.

The clothing was distributed through local Home-Starts across 10 key locations in the UK, where many vulnerable communities have been affected most during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The retailer has been donating clothing from its baby, childrens, womens and menswear product ranges.

Fuel poverty has become a growing issue for struggling families in recent months. With people forced to stay at home during lockdown, this has led to an inevitable increase in heating costs, which many simply cannot afford.

Since the pandemic started, FareShare has had to double the amount of food it distributes to meet the rising demand. Home-Start continues to see families facing isolation and struggling to provide basic needs such as heating and clothing.

Peter Grigg, Chief Executive, Home-Start UK, said: “This incredible donation from John Lewis and Waitrose will be brilliant for the families we work with at Home-Start and help them to keep warm and get outside which will make a huge difference to their wellbeing.”

Pippa Wicks, Executive Director, John Lewis, said: “This is undeniably one of the most challenging periods of the pandemic so far. As the impact is felt more deeply across society, we know that now is not the time to take our foot off the pedal in supporting families who need immediate and practical support.”

The retailer’s Give a Little Love campaign has already raised over £3million for long-term charity partners FareShare, Home-Start and local community groups.

Earlier this month, the John Lewis Partnership provided NHS workers with care packages as they continue facing extreme pressure in UK hospitals.