// Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group writes an open letter pledging to support the NHS
// Frasers Group offers its fleet to help deliver supplies across the country
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has pledged to support the NHS and its employees “in whatever way” it can in an open letter to cabinet minister Michael Gove.
This includes an offer to deliver NHS supplies across the country in its fleet of lorries.
This comes after the company back flipped on the decision to keep Sports Direct and Evans Cycles stores open during the lockdown, which saw Ashley and Frasers Group the subject of criticism in the House of Commons.
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- Coronavirus: Sports Direct to “expect consequences” for defying rules, PM says
- Sports Direct & Evans Cycles backflip on staying open during lockdown
“We wish to make absolutely clear that as a business keeping open any of our stores is completely uncommercial for us at this time,” Frasers Group chief financial officer Chris Wooton said in the letter.
He also wrote: “I take this opportunity to repeat that we are keen to help support in whatever way we can our marvellous NHS and its employees who are putting themselves in danger to protect our wellbeing.
“The most immediate opportunity for this may be afforded by our fleet of lorries that can
travel all around the country and help where possible delivering supplies etc.
“Please let me know who we could speak to further about this.”
In the letter, Wooton also asked if Evans Cycles could open if the appropriate social distancing procedures were enforced.
He stated that if they open, the retailer would “only use employees who volunteer to staff the shops”.
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