John Lewis and Waitrose have pledged to continue their efforts to support families in need with a raft of initiatives designed to provide nutrition, warmth and comfort for the vulnerable over the third lockdown and beyond.
The 2020 Christmas campaign had a message of kindness at its heart; raising over £3m for charities Home-Start and FareShare, with Partners, customers and communities coming together to ‘Give A Little Love’.
Although the Christmas campaign finished at the end of December, the charities have confirmed the need to support struggling families has never been greater.
Home-Start, which relies on a network of trained volunteers, supported 10,000 families during the Christmas period. This is double the number it aims to reach. It also saw an influx of applications from would-be volunteers as soon as the advert aired, with more than 1,000 people offering their help. Visits to its website were also up 353% when the campaign launched.
Similarly, FareShare says the fund has helped them assist food banks. It has subsequently delivered the equivalent of four million meals to local families, schools providing food for students, and refuges, plus a wide range of other organisations. FareShare had 3,000 volunteer registrations, up 364% from 2019. Its website also saw a 255% increase in visits when Give A Little Love began.
FareShare estimates that during the initial two months of the first lockdown, eight million people experienced food insecurity. Home-Start, meanwhile, continues to see families facing isolation; struggling to provide basic needs such as heating and clothing.
Commenting is Peter Grigg, chief executive of Home-Start UK. “Give a Little Love has been a galvanising force in inspiring pride and kindness and has raised really important funds for Home-Start’s work. However, families continue to struggle in lockdown with poverty and isolation. We all want to do even more to help right now. This critical next phase will ensure we can play our part in standing alongside families who are struggling and provide emotional and practical support with heating, clothing and human interaction.”
Lindsay Boswell, chief executive at FareShare, adds; “Through this campaign, which raised vital funds, amplified messaging, created connections within communities and gave a little love, you have all helped us to access and distribute food to families in need. Unfortunately, the current lockdown and the ongoing economic impact of the pandemic will continue to widen the gap of inequality. This continued support is more important than ever in the fight to help communities survive.”
Partnership pledges another £2m
The current restrictions and ongoing economic impact of the pandemic will only exacerbate these hardships. With this in mind, the Partnership has pledged to extend its support with a further donation of £2m. Initially, the Partnership will take a closer look at its supply chain. In collaboration with Home-Start and FareShare, it is exploring ways to ensure essential goods such as food, warm clothing, blankets, pillows and stationery can be diverted to families in need.
Pippa Wicks, executive director of John Lewis, concludes; “The aim of our Christmas campaign was to harness the spirit of kindness we saw in the first lockdown. There’s no doubt that we achieved this, but families in need are facing a whole new set of pressures. Although Christmas is traditionally the time for giving, we believe we need to continue this spirit of kindness into the new year.”
