More than £1,500 worth of pots, pans and kitchen goods have been donated by a local co-operative to help local families in need.

The different ranges of goods were all leftover following a refit at The Co-operative Food in Tadley.

But rather than send them to another Southern Co-op retail store to sell, colleagues decided they would donate them to the Basingstoke Voluntary Action charity.

The group, which describes itself as a charity that supports charities, has offered the large haul of kitchen goods to two charities and hopes they can go on to help people who are having to start their lives over.

Rebecca Hayward, Store Manager, said: “A lot of the usual charity activities have had to be put on hold this year but donating goods like this is a nice safe way we can continue to make a difference.

“The Amazon lockers are now taking up the space where these products used to be on display so it felt right to donate them to a local cause. Being a Basingstoke charity, our colleagues know some of the people who work there and it’s great to know that the donation will benefit people in the local area.”

Basingstoke Voluntary Action has over 300 members who are charities or not for profit groups and together they have recently launched a new community lottery which could generate around £20,000 a year in funding.

The charity is also running a Reboot IT project which allows people to donate their old computers and laptops to be wiped and upcycled before being given to children who are being home schooled or the elderly to help address issues around isolation at this challenging time.

Neil Morrow, Project Manager at Basingstoke Voluntary Action, said: “We are the go to place for local charities and good causes to ‘get stuff done’ and helped co-ordinate the local response during the pandemic.

“Not for profit local causes can come to us for a range of help and support, from starting up a new cause to finding funding and volunteers, all of which are offered in return for becoming a member of Basingstoke Voluntary Action – for which there is no cost.

“Because of the way we work, we have been able to reach out to our members to see who can benefit from donations such as this and we know it will make a difference to local people.”

Local causes are invited to get in touch with Basingstoke Voluntary Action via www.bvaction.org.uk or by calling 01256 423816.

For more information on Southern Co-op’s commitment to support local communities, visit www.thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/love-your-neighbourhood/.

Kingfisher plc, the international home improvement retailer, today announces that it has acquired NeedHelp, a home improvement services marketplaces, for a total cash consideration of c.€10 million. As part of the transaction, Guillaume de Kergariou, the founder of NeedHelp, has reinvested proceeds from the sale in a 20% interest in the business, resulting in Kingfisher owning 80%.

NeedHelp (www.needhelp.com) is an innovative B2B2C(1) online platform that connects customers who need home improvement help, either in-store or online, with vetted professional tradespeople and other skilled experts. The acquisition represents an important step forward for one of Kingfisher’s key priorities under its recently announced ‘Powered by Kingfisher’ strategy: to build a mobile-first and service-orientated customer experience.

NeedHelp was founded in France in 2014 by Guillaume de Kergariou, who will continue as CEO to lead the team and grow the business. While most of its business is currently in France, NeedHelp also operates in Switzerland and has recently expanded into Germany, Belgium, Austria and the Netherlands. Through its open architecture, NeedHelp already provides its services to customers in more than 500 stores including Kingfisher’s French businesses, Castorama and Brico Dépôt, as well as to a growing number of leading home improvement retailers.

NeedHelp is growing rapidly. The company has tripled its GMV(2) and revenue every year since launch. In 2020 the number of jobs completed through its platform is set to reach 58,000. With more people seeking to improve their homes since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the demand for NeedHelp has accelerated with its monthly revenue doubling after the first lockdown period.

NeedHelp’s strong growth is being driven by its highly differentiated proposition:

• It provides customers with service options from a range of channels including retail partners’ stores, retail partners’ e-commerce sites, and from its own site.
• Unlike other service marketplaces which aim to provide a directory of tradespeople or ‘jobbers’, NeedHelp focuses on the specialist skills needed for home improvement. The most popular home improvement projects offered via NeedHelp are kitchen installations, painting, flooring and bathroom renovations. Other jobs undertaken include gardening, furniture assembly and house or furniture moving.
• It operates a data-driven end-to-end platform that manages all bookings, online payments, vetting processes, and rating of tradespeople. This delivers both confidence to customers and added value to tradespeople, including insurance, professional business set-up support and assistance with tax returns. Customer satisfaction is high, with an average rating of 4.85 out of 5(3).

Along with developing NeedHelp’s business in Europe with existing and new retail partners, Kingfisher also plans to roll out the platform in the UK and Poland. In the UK, NeedHelp will be able to support B&Q’s customers who need assistance with their home improvement projects, as well as cooperate with Screwfix’s customer base of trade professionals. NeedHelp will continue to operate as an independent company and will seek to offer its installation capabilities to retail customers across the Home Improvement sector, through its open architecture model.

Commenting on the acquisition, Thierry Garnier, Kingfisher’s CEO, said: “To serve customers effectively today, we need to be more digital and service orientated, while leveraging our strong store assets. Online services marketplaces are key to the future of home improvement retail and NeedHelp is an established and fast-growing player in this arena. Its acquisition accelerates our digital capabilities and extends the services that we can provide our customers – two central components of our future growth strategy.

“Looking ahead, we will develop NeedHelp quickly in the UK and Poland by leveraging our extensive store network and our differentiated banners that serve both home improvers and tradespeople. This represents an exciting opportunity to create a more complete services offer and to help make better homes accessible for everyone.”

Guillaume de Kergariou, NeedHelp’s founder and CEO, added: “We are delighted to be cementing our relationship with Kingfisher through this transaction. The additional investment and expertise that Kingfisher will bring, as well as the ability to help support its huge customer base, opens an exciting new chapter for us. We will continue investing in our technology, product and operational processes to drive even greater customer satisfaction. We are proud to support the growth of the home improvement market in Europe, through our open architecture model.”

JJ Van Oosten, Kingfisher’s Chief Customer and Digital Officer, who has been appointed as NeedHelp’s Chairman, commented: “NeedHelp’s success has been built by delivering ease and assurance to customers who want to improve their homes, and the tradespeople with the skills to support them. We know the business well, it is a natural fit with our retail banners, and it accelerates our service proposition. Kingfisher is committed to supporting NeedHelp in unlocking its significant growth potential, by promoting and growing NeedHelp’s open architecture with its existing retail partners, as well as with new retail partners across Europe.”

(1) Business to Business to Consumer
(2) Gross Merchandise Value, or GMV, represents the value of completed services running through NeedHelp’s platform
(3) NeedHelp customer survey data

Following the opening of their world-first flagship store in London’s Soho, ‘RS No. 9 Carnaby’, the Rolling Stones have launched a brand-new, global ​e-commerce shop​ equipped with a ​360​° virtual experience​ so customers can shop inside the store from anywhere in the world.

If you can’t get to the store in Carnaby Street London, then the virtual store is the next best thing. Once the shopper enters the virtual store they can select from the incredible product on offer. The site has a seamless user journey over the store’s 2 floors, including the sound booth room which hosts collaboration pieces such as the exclusive Stutterheim rain mac. Shop the new fashion forward Autumn/Winter collection for men and women which is influenced by workwear and also showcases the athleisure trend. Childrenswear, accessories and Christmas baubles complete the offer. Click on each item for an easy way to purchase.

The immersive 360​°​ website shines a light on the artistic history of the physical store location on Carnaby Street and shares insider anecdotes about the architecture and design features. Created in partnership with the Rolling Stones and Bravado, Universal Music Group’s merchandise and brand management company, the new online store specialises in fashion and accessories. These exclusive products are only available at RS No. 9 Carnaby online or in store.

For Black Friday, ‘RS No. 9 Carnaby’ is offering UK customers a rare opportunity to get 20% off purchases over £50 (some exclusions will apply). The offer will be available from 27th November until 1st December and can be redeemed using the code BF20.

The collections include Carnaby Classic, Stones Red, and No. 9 Carnaby – each feature some of the Rolling Stones most memorable graphics and iconic logos remixed in new ways. The dynamic new Stones Red collection introduces the use of the brand-new official Pantone colour while the No. 9 Carnaby collection adopts a contemporary and minimalist style. Pieces have been designed for fans of all ages including men’s, women’s, and children’s fashion, as well as homeware, accessories and gifts.

John Habbouch, GM & CFO Bravado says: “We are excited to be able to take the brand new RS No. 9 Carnaby store to the world and to allow customers and fans to shop the collection from the comfort of their own homes through an immersive and unique online experience of this exciting retail space.”

carnaby.therollingstonesshop.co.uk
carnaby.therollingstonesshop.co.uk/inside-carnaby-street
@RollingStonesCarnaby

Shaftesbury has announced 28 of Chinatown London’s F&B operators have remained open in the second lockdown for delivery, takeaway, and click & collect, preserving the hub of East Asian cuisine for residents and visitors to the West End.

The vast array of cuisines that are on offer throughout lockdown span from Cantonese steamed buns at Bun House; to Taiwanese bubble tea from Cuppacha and YiFang; to Sichuanese hot pot from Shu Xiangge; to all things matcha at Tsujiri, and many more.

With 6,000 residents within a five-minute walk of Chinatown London, and 13 universities within a one-mile radius, the destination is well-placed to provide its rich and diverse culinary offer to customers craving something different during lockdown. This includes Japanese patisserie Sakurado, who chose to open during the second lockdown.

Julia Wilkinson, Restaurant Director at Shaftesbury, commented: “Chinatown London cannot be matched in terms of its diversity as a single F&B hub; while remaining true to its regional Chinese heritage, the breadth of choice has long been a cornerstone of its success. Lockdown restrictions have meant we have temporarily lost the buzz of high-footfall streets, but many of our tenants have stayed open to bring East Asian flavours to local people who are craving inspiration and variety, taking the destination’s vibrancy straight to dining tables at home.

“It’s often forgotten just how many people live in and around the West End, there are thousands of local residents and students within close proximity. The fact restaurants and cafes are open for takeaway and click & collect, and the opening of Sakurado in the midst of a lockdown, shows how much our tenants value the custom of local people.” 

Chin Teow, Tsujiri store owner, said: “Local residents bring so much to Chinatown London – we are more than a destination for them, we are part of their personal community space. We have stayed open for takeaway in the hope that they will be happy to have some escapism, something that food can offer even if they eat it outside or within their own home.

 “We are delighted to also have the outdoor seating return, when government guidelines allow for it to safely happen. When first introduced it was a great benefit to us and Chinatown London as a whole, creating the kind of vibrant environment we know so well here, but haven’t been able to experience throughout lockdown.”

The drive to bring East Asian cuisine to the tables of local residents is the latest in a series of initiatives by Shaftesbury designed to support tenants and customers alike in these challenging times. It started with #BringingChinatownHome in March, which helped people take inspiration from Chinatown London’s culture and cuisines from the safety of their own homes, with a virtual ‘routine’.

As the Summer brought customers back to Chinatown, Shaftesbury introduced the #LoveChinatown campaign, which saw the creation of an open air food destination with additional outdoor seating, and the installation of new multi-coloured lanterns to signify hope. As lockdown restrictions ease, Shaftesbury intend to reinstate the outdoor seating, keeping an al fresco dining environment at Newport Place until spring 2021, helping tenants that have had to reduce capacity inside their establishments for social distancing.

•  Co-op  has ambitions to use 300 of Starship’s robots by the end of 2021
• Co-op is on track to have an online home delivery offer and click and collect convenience service – through its own online shop and with partners – from over 1,000 of its stores by the end of this year. Co-op is now the most widely available supermarket on the Deliveroo App.
• Robot deliveries roll-out to a second UK town this week, they are currently available from eight of the Co-op’s stores in and around Milton Keynes, and are now set to arrive in Northampton
• The retailer’s approach to on-demand online convenience sees its stores act as micro distribution hubs locally, with orders picked from local Co-op stores so high street stores benefit from any increase in online demand.

Robots are set to roll-out on the streets of Northampton today (Wednesday, 25 November) as Co-op expands its use of autonomous home delivery in partnership with Starship Technologies, as well as revealing that it has ramped-up its same-day online and click and collect grocery service which will now be available from more than 1,000 stores by the end of this year.

Co-op has ambitions to use as many as 300 of Starship’s robots by the end of 2021 as it looks for more towns and cities to operate autonomous deliveries after launching in Milton Keynes, and then Northampton

Co-op became the first convenience retailer to use same-day robot deliveries in the UK when it teamed-up with Starship Technologies in early 2018 to offer emission free online home delivery services in Milton Keynes and surrounding areas including Newport Pagnell and Bletchley.

The autonomous service will now expand to a second UK town, Northampton, serving around 5,000 households with contactless deliveries initially from the Co-op food store in Wootton Fields (NN4 6DY) serving communities in Wootton and Hardingstone, with the robots typically travelling up to three miles from the store.

Co-op has ramped up its online offer to meet demand, and is now on track to offer online on-demand convenience, through its own online shop –coop.co.uk/shop – and with partners, from more than 1,000 of its stores by the end of this year (2020) – surpassing its estimate of 650 stores which it made at the start of the year. Orders are fulfilled through the Co-op online shop and through its partnerships with Starship Technologies, Deliveroo, Buymie (Bristol) and Pinga (East London) in as little as under one hour, and up to seven days in advance.

The retailer’s approach sees its stores act as micro distribution hubs locally, with orders picked from local Co-op stores – so its high street stores benefit from any increase in online demand. Co-op is now the most widely available supermarket on the Deliveroo App.

Starship Technologies is the world’s leading provider of autonomous delivery services, and its robots have completed over 500,000 commercial autonomous deliveries in local neighbourhoods and university campuses across five countries – with the robots having travelled over one million autonomous miles.

Chris Conway, Head of eCommerce, Co-op, said:“We continue to look for new ways to innovate and expand access to our products and services to deliver a truly compelling offer for consumers. Our partnership with Starship enables Co-op to offer further availability, flexibility and choice to meet community shopping needs for on-demand convenience. We have seen big changes in eCommerce this year with new customers using the channel that have never used it before, and seeing the benefits. Offering quality and value quickly, easily and conveniently is core to Co-op’s approach – delivering what our Members and customers want, when and where they need it.”

Andrew Curtis, Head of UK Operations at Starship Technologies, said: “We are thrilled to expand our service in the UK and bring robot delivery to neighbourhoods across Northampton from today. We have been humbled by the fantastic reception to our robots from local communities in Milton Keynes over the last two and a half years. This is the next step in our growth ambitions as Starship looks to further roll out our services across the UK following increasing demand during the pandemic.”

Northampton residents can access groceries delivered by robot through the Starship Food Delivery app (iOS and Android) – choosing from a range of more than 1,000 of their favourite food or drink items from the Co-op. They then drop a “pin” where they want their delivery to be sent, and can watch in real-time as the robot makes its journey via an interactive map. Once the robot arrives, they receive an alert and can then meet and unlock it through the app.

Demand for Starship’s robot service has continued to soar during the COVID-19 pandemic, with delivery numbers for Co-op products tripling in Milton Keynes alone in recent months – the robots provide contactless deliveries, which allow people, including the elderly and more vulnerable that may be spending more time at home, to get their groceries delivered straight to their door.

Wider community benefits of robot delivery were first seem pre-pandemic, with a “thank you” note sent by a customer recovering from major surgery who saw the home delivery service as a lifeline.

The robots use a combination of sensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning to travel on pavements and navigate around any obstacles. Computer vision-based navigation helps the robots to map their environment to the nearest inch, and as they are battery powered they help reduce both pollution and traffic congestion levels.

The most popular items delivered by robot include:

1. Milk
2. Eggs
3. Bread
4. Bananas
5. Cucumber

New initiative will help drive visits to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

It has been a challenging year for the small business community, with many companies having to reduce staff numbers or pause operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the forthcoming holiday season, owners have an opportunity to try and rebuild their businesses. So today, Waze, the platform bringing together communities on and off the road, has announced a new initiative to help small businesses get back on their feet.

Launching this week in advance of Small Business Saturday on December 5 and running until January 7 2021, Waze is offering business owners an opportunity to contribute information, including address, contact details, and opening and closing hours via a simple form, that will then be added to Waze map by Waze’s volunteer community of Map Editors. This information will help Waze users nationwide easily navigate to these store locations using the most up-to-date information, encouraging them to shop local during the holiday season.

This campaign builds on Waze’s COVID-19 response as part of a strategic effort to find ways to leverage its products and map to better serve underserved communities, and to enable employees, users, and partners to give back to the organizations they care about.

“We know small businesses have really been hit hard this year as the result of the pandemic,” said Dani Simons, Head of Public Sector Partnerships, Waze. “Earlier this year we launched location badges to help local businesses show if they have drive-thru and contactless pickup available, giving drivers a way to safely collect their groceries or takeout. As we look towards Small Business Saturday and the holiday season, we wanted to make it even easier for drivers to reach these locations and support the economy by shopping local.”

If you are a small business owner who’d like your information on Waze updated – or for businesses that are not yet mapped on Waze – please complete this form.

According to a recent study commissioned by centre:mk, almost a quarter of adults plan to buy a present for themselves as many feel that they simply deserve a treat this year; while 29 per cent are not expecting many gifts from others after an extraordinary year.

The poll of 2,000 Brits* found that 12 per cent of adults are planning to splash out on their own games console during the festive season, whilst 15 per cent are going to treat themselves to some new clothes to boost their mood. Others are going to buy themselves make-up (10 per cent), a laptop (12 per cent) and a mobile phone (14 per cent). Overall, 22 per cent would rather buy something for themselves than ask others to buy it as a gift.

Almost a third of respondents feel that Christmas is more important to them than ever this year, so will be putting more thought into the presents they buy, with a fifth looking to spend more time choosing personal gifts. A further 30 per cent of those asked are feeling more ‘emotional’ about the festive season – with just under 6 weeks to go until Christmas, shoppers are looking forward to spending time with their family and friends again. People are also planning to put their decorations up earlier than normal and will buy more ‘lavish’ food in order to make Christmas 2020 extra special.

Kim Priest, Head of Marketing at centre:mk explained, “Given the year that everybody has had, it is interesting to see so many people are planning to buy themselves a gift this Christmas, as well as for their friends and family. This self-gifting trend will bring positivity to many who feel they deserve a treat as they have indulged less during this extraordinary year. Our research also reveals that whilst the number of people that individuals plan to buy for hasn’t greatly changed, nor the amount they spend, the effort and thought going into gifts has as people are feeling more emotional about Christmas this year than ever before.”

Following a stressful 2020, 14 per cent plan to buy more wellbeing gifts this year. The most popular gifts on people’s shopping lists included perfume or aftershave, candles and skincare, with festive favourites chocolates, alcohol and books topping the list.

The research also found that the average adult also plans to buy Christmas presents for eight people. 61 per cent will be buying a present for their partner, 51 per cent for their children, 49 per cent for their mums and 38 per cent for their dads, however unfortunate uncles, colleagues and even grandparents look likely to go without this year. It also emerged that despite the financial worries, the amount of money people plan to spend has only decreased by £11 – with an average of £347 being forked out this year, compared to £358 in 2019.

More than half of those polled have already started their shopping and 26 per cent started earlier than they usually would. An organised 16 per cent hope to finish their gift buying as early as four weeks before the big day – November 27th – while 21 per cent realistically plan to complete it with just one week to spare – December 18th.

*2000 UK adults aged 18+ were surveyed by OnePoll, October 2020

From the executives to warehouse operatives, everyone’s family matters equally 

Home improvement retailer Wickes, has announced it’s providing all colleagues with a new healthcare benefit when they become parents through provider Peppy. Wickes joins employers from investment banking, law, media and insurers, and is the first national retailer to provide each colleague with expert-led private medical level support through employee benefits.

This launch comes after great work and feedback from two of the brand’s colleague-led Inclusive Workstreams – Wellbeing and Balance for Better. Tapping into the ethos of ‘Let’s Care for Each Other’, both groups recognised that there was an opportunity to support new parents with more tailored and personalised support.

Available to those going through the parenthood journey, Peppy provides life-changing support by bringing employers, employees and experts together in the moments that matter. Wickes colleagues, and their partners, will have easy access to expert healthcare relating to pregnancy and becoming a new parent.

The Peppy app, which is available to colleagues, includes one-on-one confidential personalised chat with an expert pre and postnatal practitioner, video consultations with lactation and baby sleep consultants, together with specialist pre and postnatal mental health support. Plus there is peer support through small group chats, virtual seminars and online exercise classes, designed especially for pre and postnatal women.

Sonia Astill, Chief People Officer at Wickes said: ‘This new employee benefit is really exciting, we’re committed to creating a workplace that puts family health high on the agenda as we know that becoming a parent is often a stressful and emotional experience. The wellbeing of our colleagues is our number one priority and our partnership with Peppy will help them feel more supported as they embark on one of life’s biggest adventures.

In addition to this amazing service, we’ve updated our family leave policy, providing colleagues with better support for those big, important and often personal moments in our lives. We believe our most important assets are our people and I am so pleased that we can further support our team.”

Gary Kibble, CMDO* at Wickes, and Balance for Better Board Sponsor added: ‘I’m so proud that the hard work of the individuals within our inclusive workstreams has created such a positive impact for our colleagues – making us a better place to work. Equality will only happen when all people are given the same access to support and recent changes ensure we lead the way when it comes to family benefit”.

Mridula Pore, CEO & Co-Founder of Peppy comments: “Having a baby is one of life’s biggest transitions. Of course it is exciting and incredibly rewarding, but it can also be hugely challenging for parents. We are thrilled to be working with Wickes and to be able to give their entire UK workforce access to expert parental support that they can access any time, anywhere. This year has been particularly tough for expectant and new parents, so to see Wickes become the first UK retailer to offer support of this kind as a standard employee benefit is phenomenal.”

• 70 per cent of Brits spend up to five hours a week looking for discounts[1]
• A quarter of adults (25%) admit they compete against friends and family for bargains
• Over a quarter (26%) of Brits feel empowered to make better financial choices through discount codes and websites

With Christmas around the corner, Brits are gearing up for an online shopping season like no other, with savvy savings front and centre of the nation’s mind. New research commissioned by Honey, a browser extension owned by PayPal that helps shoppers save time and money, has found that more than a third (37%) of Brits consider bagging a bargain as one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Amazingly, nearly three quarters (70%) have admitted they will spend up to five hours a week seeking discount codes to find a bargain, with the average shopper having three tabs open at the same time to search online. What’s more, two fifths (39%) agreed that they would like to be offered more discounts when they finally get to the checkout rather than having to spend time searching for themselves.

With the current UK lockdown and many facing tightened budgets, shoppers are looking for ways to find savings wherever they can. Since the pandemic hit in March, nearly two in five (38%) Brits have spent more time searching online for discounts. Honey makes it easy to find deals by searching for available coupons and applying working discounts at checkout so shoppers can avoid overpaying, save time and help take their money further.

For some, finding and using discounts online ranks higher in terms of pleasure than celebrating a birthday (32%), a favourite sports team winning a crucial match (24%), or even getting a promotion at work (20%).

Honey’s research also found that deal-seeking can unleash a competitive streak in Brits, too. A quarter of adults (25%) admit they like to compete against friends and family to see who can find the best deals during key shopping events like Black Friday.

Unsurprisingly, millennials (53%) were found to be the most competitive. While nation-wide, Londoners (42%) topped the leader board and when it came down to gender, women stormed ahead with 71 per cent admitting to making a game out of discovering the best deals.

Comparatively, using discount codes online also make Brits feel empowered, with over a quarter (26%) saying they believe they are actively managing their money better if they shop using a discount code or site.

Lisa Scott, Senior Director Product Marketing at PayPal, commented: “We know that Brits love to bag a bargain and luckily, Honey is here to answer the nation’s call. Honey was acquired by PayPal last year and we are excited to bring it to the UK market to help shoppers save time and money and make better buying decisions. In fact, Honey helped users find around £750 million globally in savings in 2019 alone.”

Nick Agwuncha from Money Medics said: “Honey is our top tool for finding for discount codes when shopping online – it does all the hard work by automatically applying them at checkout. We know that a majority of the nation will be doing their present buying online this year so think of Honey as a helpful assistant that will save you time and a little money.”

Customers can add Honey to their browser[2] by simply visiting www.joinhoney.com and clicking  ‘Add Honey – It’s Free’ button. You can find more information here.

[1] Question: How long do you spend looking for voucher code/discount code/coupon code when shopping online per week? Answers: Less than 1 hour per week (46.90%), 1 to 2 hours 59 mins per week (14.80%) and 3 to 4 hours 59 mins per week (8.15%). Total = 69.85%

2 Honey can be added to the following browsers: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Opera.