The Hut Group (THG) has announced its £10 million aid package to support vulnerable communities, key workers and emergency services in Manchester, the U.K. and its international markets during the COVID-19 crisis.
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THG is donating £5m of aid directly into the Manchester area, the base of its headquarters and where 5,000 of its 7,000 workforce live and work. After discussion with both Manchester City Council and the Greater Manchester Mayor’s office it has been agreed that the £5 million of aid from THG to Manchester is to be made as follows:
- £1 million immediate cash donation split between two charities; £0.5m to We Love MCR (the Lord Mayor of Manchester’s charity) which is supporting groups and charities responding to the coronavirus issue in the city of Manchester through its COVID-19 community response fund; £0.5m to the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity which helps homeless people across Greater Manchester.
- £4 million of critical products and services, which are currently in acute shortage across the world. These critical products will be distributed across key sites in the region, including NHS staff on the front line, working long hours in the fight against Covid-19. These key products will also be distributed to the more vulnerable people in the region.
In recent weeks, THG has been racing to meet rapidly increased global online demand for essential vitamins, foods, supplements, personal care and hygiene products. This resulted in THG announcing 500 new Manufacturing and Distribution jobs across its U.K., European, U.S. and Asia operations.
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Accordingly, a further £5m of aid is being pledged by THG to areas outside of the North West, including international markets.
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Through in-house manufacturing of key nutritional supplements, vitamins, personal care and hygiene products, THG is in a unique position to offer essential production support to the nation’s COVID-19 efforts.
THG has transitioned part of its manufacturing capability to produce hand sanitizers to help meet the exceptional global demand, and will be giving £1m free hand sanitizers to people who otherwise can’t access them, as a part of the aid being provided.
Another form of aid, THG has also pledged all 70 rooms in both of its prestigious Manchester city centre hotels–Great John Street Hotel and King Street Townhouse. These hotels will be available at no charge to support both NHS staff and Greater Manchester Police who are working away from their families over the next three months.
The luxury ensuite bedrooms will be fully staffed and catered, with THG’s fitness and well-being brand Myprotein supplying ‘grab and go’ bags of nutritious snacks and supplements for emergency workers to take with them each day.
Over recent weeks, the Company’s sizable in-house catering team has also been redeployed to deliver the following:
- One million meal packages and food parcels for vulnerable people in the North West, namely food banks and local people who cannot access supermarkets.
- Giving every THG employee at the Warrington Omega facility a ready-to-cook free meal for two people to take home at the end of each and every shift. This reduces the need to visit busy supermarkets, protecting the well-being of our colleagues. This equates to c5,000 packages (c10,000 meals) a week.
This support pledge follows the recent announcement that THG has created 500 new roles at its manufacturing and fulfillment sites, equating to £10 million going back to the local economy and providing significant employment support during the economic disruption from the COVID-19 outbreak.
“THG is a major global player in the manufacture and retail of nutrition, vitamins and personal care products,” THG founder and CEO Matthew Moulding said. “These are unprecedented times and THG has an obligation to support those in need, not only as a major regional employer, but because we have the ability to do so. Everyone at THG wants to help in any way they can. Manchester and the surrounding areas are our home and we have a huge sense of loyalty to the local community.”
Moulding continued, “Many of the products we produce are currently beyond the reach of many due to recent spikes in global demand. This is why we are working together with both the Mayor’s office and MCC to reach those who need help the most. This partnership means we can better support our incredible emergency services, key workers and local authorities, who are doing the whole of the UK proud throughout this crisis.”
“This is a remarkably generous move by The Hut Group which, as a manufacturer and retailer of essential nutritional and personal care products, will provide a big boost to the city’s collective efforts to tackle coronavirus and its impacts,” Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said. “It reflects the sense of wider social responsibility and commitment to the city which THG have demonstrated since they first arrived here.”
Leese continued, “The Hut Group is a shining example of how Manchester-based businesses are rising to the occasion during this difficult time, in both delivering essential products and safeguarding employees through the introduction of extensive precautionary measures since January 2020. It’s this sense of shared purpose which will get us through this challenge.”
“This incredibly generous donation by The Hut Group shows Greater Manchester business at its best,” Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said. “These are challenging times for us all and it means so much to see one of our most successful home-grown companies stepping forward and giving back to our communities. The Hut Group’s support will enable us to provide better support to homeless people as well as recognize the selfless work of our heroic NHS staff and other front line workers. I hope this announcement will provide inspiration to other businesses to do what they can to help us get through this together.”
