Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Messages of thanks for giving help to victims of December’s flooding have been received by housewares manufacturer What More UK.
The Lancashire company donated pallet-loads of stock to help people with the clean-up and salvage operation after hundreds of homes were flooded by Storm Desmond and then Storm Eva.
Initially 800 Wham brand mops, 400 mop buckets and 400 heavy-duty brushes were dispatched to emergency flood relief centres in Kendal and Carlisle, with priority given to the elderly and those in greatest financial need.
Later, plastic storage boxes were sent to Glenridding in direct response to a social media appeal and more brushes, buckets and waterproof plastic boxes were distributed to flood-stricken areas in Sellafield, the Ribble Valley, Todmorden and around Hebden Bridge.
This week a letter arrived at What More’s head office from South Lakeland District Council, thanking the company for supporting its emergency response. Jointly signed by the leader of the council Peter Thornton and chief executive Lawrence Conway, the letter stated: “The spirit of generosity in response to the flooding has been overwhelming. All offers of food, shelter, goods and services have been gratefully received by ourselves, partners and the communities of South Lakeland and have greatly contributed to the initial recovery stage.”
More messages of appreciation have arrived by email and social media from the communities hit by the flooding.
What More director Tony Grimshaw commented: “As a manufacturer supplying a national network of retailers, we already have lots of business contacts and friends in these communities. And what do you do when your friends are in trouble? You help them out.
“That’s all we’ve tried to do, by supplying some of the things we make here in Lancashire that can be a real practical help in the clean-up. The fact that so many people have made time to send their thanks when they still have so much to sort out has been quite humbling.
“I’m also very proud of the team at What More and I want to thank them for rallying to help and getting donations out as quickly as possible.”
Donations of What More UK’s Wham brand products leaving the company’s warehouse
