Home improvement retailer Wickes has donated 18,500 products worth over a quarter of a million pounds to 985 charities and community organisations through its Wickes Comunity Programme. Kimberley Walsh worked with the brand to launch the programme.
Wickes has seen a steady increase throughout the year in the number of charities reaching out for support and reported that in the second half of the year, the number of products donated had tripled.
Some of the most popular products requested were, top soil and timber sleepers to help schools and community groups transform outdoor spaces to encourage people to get closer to nature. Raised beds to grow vegetables which supplement the school dinners and sensory gardens to support wellbeing.
Great Chart Primary School in Ashford created a sensory garden for pupils. The school's vision is to provide an environment where children can discover and learn. The sensory garden provides space to enable pupils to connect to nature and encourage them to learn through exploration, curiosity, problem solving and creativity. The school applied to the Wickes Community Programme when the project had to be put on hold due to pressures on the school budget.
Wickes charity partner, YoungMinds said: “It's heartening to hear of the number of wellbeing spaces being created in communities. Last year saw record numbers of young people seeking support for their mental health. The disruption of the last few years and new pressures for the future disproportionally affect young people. Now more than ever, communities need spaces dedicated to wellbeing.”
Newham Centre for Mental Health also benefited from the Wickes Community programme. The centre opened eight years ago and supports around 2000 people a year. Support worker at the centre Andrew Casey had the idea to create The Hope Garden to support patients. Caring for plants and being outdoors is proven to help patients think more clearly and feel more energised releasing endorphins which improve mood. The garden is maintained by patients and volunteers who also benefit from the products they grow.
Gary Kibble, Chief Marketing Officer at Wickes said: “We’ve supported charities in small ways, like gifting safety goggles and gloves to a treecycling charity and in bigger ways, like providing loft insulation to a school to reduce their energy bills. We’re extremely proud to have donated 18,500 products to 985 fantastic causes across the UK. Wickes colleagues go above and beyond to ensure we’re offering support to those who need it most. Over the past year, our stores have developed long lasting relationships with charities at the heart of their community, and we are pleased to have made a material difference to so many in a very challenging year.
“For 2023, we have increased our budget and we are looking forward to hearing from more charities and communities in need of our support.
“The Wickes Community Programme is open to all local community groups and charities seeking help for improvement projects. Any groups interested in applying for a donation should head into their local store to speak to the manager.”
