M&S announces series of initiatives to support NHS staff amid Covid-19

Marks and Spencer has announced a series of initiatives to support NHS staff amid the coronavirus pandemic.

M&S has announced it is to donate thousands of specially branded t-shirts to form part of the uniform pack for the NHS Nightingale frontline team in London, as well as deliver clothing care packages to help “provide comfort and dignity for discharged patients”. 

M&S said the especially branded ‘We are the NHS’ t-shirts will form part of the uniform pack for NHS Nightingale London’s team – making it easier for everyone to “identify the fantastic doctors, nurses, staff and volunteers who are all working tirelessly to save lives.”

The retailer is also donating clothing care packs for NHS Nightingale patients to help provide some comfort and normality when they get discharged. M&S is sourcing, packing and delivering the individual care packs for male and female patients, which each contain a t-shirt, jumper, joggers, knickers or boxers and socks, and will be available in a range of sizes.

The retailer also said it is to donate 4,000 sets of pyjamas to be used as scrubs to NHS Derbyshire, located close to its Castle Donington distribution centre.

Also, from next week, M&S announced it will offer free food delivery service for the NHS workers at M&S’s longstanding hospital partners at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington and Great Ormond Street Hospital, twice a week. 

M&S also announced it is donating to NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Urgent Appeal and has enabled customers to select the appeal as their Sparks charity.

Steve Rowe, CEO of M&S, said: “We’re doing our bit to help the NHS by focussing on what we do best – providing great food and clothes – in the hope we can make it just a little easier for our NHS heroes to do what they do best, as well as the patients in their care. 

“We get through these challenging times by pulling together and it’s been truly humbling to read the suggestions that have been pouring in from colleagues and customers alike with ideas for how we can help those on the NHS frontline.”

He added: “At a time when everyone is facing personal challenges and our own frontline colleagues are working round the clock – it’s heartening to see the whole nation is getting behind the fantastic NHS teams we’re relying on right now. We really are all in this together and I’m delighted we have been able to turn some of those ideas into action.” 

M&S said the especially branded “We are the NHS” t-shirts will form part of the uniform pack for NHS Nightingale London’s team – making it easier for everyone to “identify the fantastic doctors, nurses, staff and volunteers who are all working tirelessly to save lives.”