// John Lewis Partnership donates additional £1.4m to local charities to assist communities during Covid-19 pandemic
// It also designs mug to raise funds in aid of NHS Charities Together
// This brings the total amount of support given by the partnership to local communities to over £2.7m
John Lewis Partnership has announced that it will donate a further £1.4 million to around 3000 local charities who are helping those most in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
This brings the total amount of support given by the partnership to local communities – primarily food banks, those supporting the elderly, homeless and those most at risk from coronavirus – to over £2.7 million.
The £1.4 million announced today will be distributed to local charities who have existing relationships with the partnership’s Waitrose and John Lewis shops.
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Of that, £500,000 will be put into a new Your Partners Through It All Community Fund.
Staff will nominate local charities to receive a donation of £1000, £2000 or £5000 from the fund with decisions made by a committee of staff in two rounds at the end of May and June.
Over the next three months, the remaining £900,000 will be distributed by Waitrose shops to local charities known to them through their established Community Matters programme.
Meanwhile, to raise funds for NHS Charities Together, this weekend the partnership will begin selling on John Lewis’ website and in 264 Waitrose stores a limited edition china mug designed in-house.
All profits from the sale of the mugs will be donated.
The retailer is also inviting children to enter their drawing of a “super-bear”’ cuddly toy into a competition.
The winning design will be sold in John Lewis and Waitrose shops at Christmas – with 100 per cent of the profits donated in aid of NHS Charities Together.
“Through our relationships with local charities we are aware of the amazing work happening, and also the great need for further support to enable them to continue to carry out their vital work which so many people are dependent upon,” John Lewis Partnership social impact manager Caroline Silke said.
“The partnership is committed to doing all it can to help.”
In March, the John Lewis Partnership announced a £1 million Community Support Fund which has been used to support communities across the UK.
The retailer has also given £395,000 in donations to Age UK, FareShare, GroceryAid, Kitchen Social, Retail Trust and the Trussell Trust.
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