Today I’m sharing the initial steps that we’re taking to help the communities we serve; particularly its most vulnerable members.

Many of the ideas we are putting into action come from the 80,000 colleagues who are working around the clock and I have never been prouder to lead this team - this family - and wear my M&S name badge.

IN OUR STORES:

We are reserving the first hour of trade every Monday and Thursday, as a special shopping hour for our more vulnerable and elderly customers to help them get the food and products they need. For our NHS and emergency service workers, who we will all be relying on in the coming weeks and months, we will reserve the first hour of trade on a Tuesday and Friday for them to shop.

To help make sure all of our customers can get what they need, we have introduced temporary purchasing restrictions on some lines.

IN OUR COMMUNITIES

M&S is kickstarting the ‘Neighbourly Community Fund’ specifically to support those most impacted by COVID-19. The whole M&S family - including M&S Bank and M&S Energy - is supporting the fund, which will help mobilise more than 1000 local charities to support the most vulnerable members of our communities immediately. Alongside this local on-the-ground funding M&S is supporting the National Emergencies Trust Campaign with a donation to help galvanize the national efforts now under way.

Steve Rowe, CEO of Marks & Spencer