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WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER: M&S SUPPORTS NEIGHBOURLY ACTION WITH TEN IRISH ORGANISATIONS HAVING ALREADY AVAILED OF THE NEW FUND TO SUPPORT LOCAL CHARITIES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS

Posted on: 21 Apr 2020

  • M&S to support long-standing partner, Neighbourly
  • The Neighbourly Community Fund, kickstarted by M&S, has already supported ten Irish local charities and community groups to immediately deliver on the ground community support to the most vulnerable 
  • Charities supported by Neighbourly – in these uncertain times – need urgent help with everything from running core services, to offering emergency food parcels, to setting up new digital befriending programmes

M&S recently announced to its customers the launch of the new Neighbourly Community Fund. M&S kickstarted the fund with an immediate investment of €50,000, for community platform Neighbourly to put into an emergency fund and distribute in phases to its existing network of charities and community groups across Ireland.

 

In addition to this, M&S stores are continuing to redistribute all surplus food to the Neighbourly network across Ireland, via the Neighbourly platform.  M&S is due to launch an app to make it easier for colleagues to connect surplus product with the right local charity in Ireland.

 

M&S has been working closely with Neighbourly, it’s long-standing partner for over five years, throughout this difficult period – listening to what the community needs are as the situation changes and evolves.

 

To date, ten grants have been issued to key charities and organisations who have availed of funds through Neighbourly, supported by the M&S donation including The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Cork Cancer Care Centre, We Care LK Food Bank, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Leitrim International Community Group and Little Blue Heroes.

 

The funds have been a huge support to those in need during a particularly difficult time. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland has been able to secure funding from the initiative at a time when their biggest and most important fundraiser, Alzheimer’s Tea Day, due to take place in every town in Ireland on Thursday, May 7th has been postponed contributing to a severe drop in fundraising of €1 million.

 

Funding has also supported Little Blue Heroes, Little Blue Heroes is a not-for-profit charitable foundation established by Garda staff which aims to support local Gardaí in providing financial assistance to families with children that have serious illness who are in need. The funds have allowed Little Blue Hereos to send out over €10,000 worth of practical support as part of their ‘Easter Aid’ pack for 100 families to alleviate some mounting pressures. This is all made possible by the supporting funds offered by Neighbourly allowing Little Blue Heroes to continue to help them back their heroes.  

 

Eleanor Flew, Director of Fundraising & Communications, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Harold’s Cross, Blackrock and Wicklow said, “Our frontline teams are working round the clock to navigate the challenges each day brings and to make sure we protect and care for our patients in their homes and in our hospices throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Our patients are in the high-risk category of Covid-19 as their immune systems are much more compromised, so it’s vitally important we are there for them, making sure they continue to receive expert care and reassurance at this very critical time. Demand continues to rise every day for our care, and we need to be there for those that need us. We are very grateful to receive a grant from the Neighbourly Fund, which will go towards helping our patients affected. On behalf of patients and their loved ones, thank you.”

 

Pat McLoughlin, CEO of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland said, “Everyone at The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is so grateful to the Neighbourly Community Fund for supporting people with dementia and their carers – especially at this difficult time. Funding partnerships such as this give us the opportunity to not only bring in vital funds for our supports and services but allows us to bring awareness of dementia to an even wider community. Due to the current Covid-19 public health crisis, a large number of our frontline supports, and services are closed, but we're still supporting people online or on the phone and we are still available to those who are most vulnerable in our communities. Our Home Care, Online Family Carer Training, Dementia Advisers and Alzheimer National Helpline are all still running, and this funding will help to keep these vital services going. We are very grateful for this.”

 

Zoe Colosimo, COO of Neighbourly said, “Community organisations are coming under immense pressure and need support now more than ever. Immediate funding can help give immediate peace of mind that they can take urgent action to support the most vulnerable in our society. We know needs will evolve as we move through this crisis - from loneliness to hunger to financial concern, but we’re all in this together and we must keep working together.”

 

Ken Scully, M&S Ireland Country Manager said, "I’m really proud of the role we play in our local communities, something which has always been important to us over our 40 years in Ireland. This includes the time and energy our brilliant colleagues give not only in the service they provide to our customers but also to helping those most in need.  It’s great to work with organisations like Neighbourly who connect our stores to the local community so we can support through things like product donations and fundraising. The Neighbourly Community Fund will help mobilise local charities and organisations across Ireland to support the most vulnerable members of our community."

 

One of M&S’s core values is to be “all in for the customer” – recognising this isn’t enough at the moment the team’s guiding value is “we’re all in this together.” The team is here to help and has already put in place measures to support customers, colleagues and communities1 – the M&S family will do its best to help every family it can.