We teamed up with John Lewis to help transform the way we raise money through our shops and website.
A team of John Lewis and Waitrose staff, known as Partners, spent ten weeks based in Samaritans shops, advising our volunteers on best practice. Samaritans’ Leicester shop was also spruced up with fixtures and fittings donated after a John Lewis store refurbishment.
The job swap was made possible through the Partnership’s Golden Jubilee Trust, a flagship volunteering programme, which was set up in 2000. Alongside the shop makeovers, Partners are also advising on innovations Samaritans can make to create and sell merchandise online, including via eBay.
This is a unique experience for twenty of our Partners, who have never worked together before, to offer a wealth of retail experience in a different sector. Our team based in the shops have not only pulled together income generating ideas but also run training for Samaritans volunteers.
Kate Warner, John Lewis
Interested in partnering with Samaritans?
Get in touch with the team