Grenfell Tower fire: how businesses are helping those affected

Business responds to the Grenfell fire

Business in the Community’s (BITC) The Prince’s Business Emergency Resilience Group (BERG) normally supports the recovery efforts in the weeks and months after an emergency event.

However, due to the catastrophic impact of the fire, BERG was asked by its strategic partner, the British Red Cross (responsible for coordinating relief efforts alongside the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea) to help immediately after the fire – mobilizing business’s response to the tragic event within 24 hours.

The business response has been overwhelming with BERG acting as a gateway for much of the assistance on offer and business has helped identify much needed funding, furniture and equipment for a British Red Cross crisis centre.

Examples of the support being offered include:

  • Marks and Spencer’s immediately donating stock to the relief effort and their staff helping collect and store public donations.

  • McCann Worldgroup through Weber Shandwick has offered communications support for British Red Cross.

  • Both Tesco and Kingfisher, part of the British Red Cross’s Disaster Relief Alliance, responding immediately with offers of perishables and other goods including funding.

  • Virgin Money Giving, Mitie and The Royal Bank of Scotland offering to link their supplier networks for office furniture including soft furnishings as requested.

  • House of Fraser offering furniture for affected families with assistance also offered by John Lewis, Debenhams, Land Securities, LandAid, Primark, Murphy’s, Heathrow Airport Group and Ikea.

  • Symantec offering funding, goods and volunteering support now and in the future and is redirecting employee-raised funding directly to the British Red Cross.

  • Freshfields offering support through the British Red Cross for any children who may need education-related assistance.

The British Red Cross has started an appeal to raise money to help people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire in west London. In creating this national appeal, the charity is using its reach across the UK and beyond to provide a way for people to give money to those affected. The charity has been asked by the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to help co-ordinate fundraising in an appeal to support the residents and neighbours of the Grenfell Tower.

By donating to the London Fire Relief Fund people will be able to help those who have been injured, bereaved, left destitute or traumatised by this tragedy. Click here to donate.

BERG will continue to help businesses and communities prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and mobilise companies to help people get back on their feet more quickly following a major incident.

Further information

Guidance can be found for those seeking urgent assistance and support services.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

%d bloggers like this: