NHS frontline staff across the UK have received ‘pick me up pallets’ this week, in the second wave of donations from UK brands who have come together in a bid to say ‘thank you’.
Blue Light Card, the UK’s largest discount service for the NHS and emergency services, has partnered with the charity, In Kind Direct, experts in providing life’s essentials to where they’re most needed, and Unipart Logistics.
Together, they’re delivering free pallets of ‘pick me up’ items to 25 NHS Trusts across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
The pallets, which will be unpacked in each NHS Trust for frontline workers to choose from, include a mix of personal care items and treats, to support and put a smile on the faces of those working so hard to protect our communities and save lives. Items include soft drinks, biscuit selections and health and beauty products.
This is the second round of donations which Blue Light Card and In Kind Direct have made possible.
Distributed by In Kind Direct, a full list of brands contributing to this round of Blue Light Card ‘pick me up pallets’ includes:
● Coca-Cola - soft drinks including Coca-Cola zero sugar and Fanta Raspberry zero sugar
● Burton’s Biscuits - including Maryland Cookies, Jammie Dodgers and Wagon Wheels
● L’Oréal - hand sanitiser, body wash, conditioner, shampoo and skincare
● P&G – Olay face cream and wipes, Oral-B toothpaste, hair care products including head&shoulders, Pantene and Herbal Essences and hand sanitiser
● PZ Cussons - Carex antibacterial Hand Wash
● Essity - Bodyform intimate care products
● Unilever - Simple Face Cleansing Stick
Tom Dalby, CEO of Blue Light Card, said:
“The Covid-19 pandemic means that the NHS and emergency services are even more stretched than usual, and will be selflessly and tirelessly working to keep us safe, healthy and supported, often going into unknown dangers to do so. It’s times like this we value our blue light community even more.
“We felt like we wanted to give back and support our members on the front line, alongside our discounts and offers online. The pallets of ‘pick me up’ items are our way of saying ‘thank you’ for their dedication over the past few months, and hopefully contain items to bring a smile to people’s faces and to genuinely help.”
“We are very grateful to all of the generous companies that have donated items to help.”
Other ongoing support to NHS workers includes discounts, deals and competitions available online for Blue Light Card members - with online registration available at www.bluelightcard.co.uk.
Rosanne Gray, CEO at In Kind Direct, said:
“We are indebted to the wonderful people working in our NHS and thankful to be able to provide practical support and care during such challenging times. We also thank our longstanding corporate partners who have donated extra supplies to this initiative. The response to the first wave of donations was so positive and we are delighted to continue our support.
“We work with hundreds of companies and thousands of charities to support millions of vulnerable people. We help them to access essentials like toiletries, cleaning products and baby care supplies to help everyone keep clean, safe and well. The frontline services being provided by local charities have been critical throughout lockdown in reducing the burden on NHS staff and volunteers, getting people back on their feet after time in hospital, and supporting others to self-isolate safely.
“Our partnership with Blue Light Card allows us to utilise our logistics infrastructure to support NHS workers alongside thousands of charities, to ensure those in crisis keep receiving the care and support they need. We hope more businesses see what is possible and step up and help however they can. \
For more information about the initiative, please visit https://www.bluelightcard.co.uk/thankyou.php.
To follow Blue Light Card on social media please visit:
https://www.instagram.com/bluelightcard/
https://twitter.com/bluelightcard
https://www.facebook.com/bluelightcarddiscounts
For more information about In Kind Direct, please visit https://www.inkinddirect.org/.
