Oldham MP salutes shopping boost for ‘hidden’ care workers

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams is highlighting a scheme which aims to help care workers - from staff in residential homes to those doing home care visits - cut their shopping bill, as they provide vital support through the COVID-19 crisis.

Company Shop, which is the largest commercial redistributor of surplus food and household products in the UK - and is already open to NHS, emergency services and FMCG workers - has extended its membership to include care sector workers.

Company Shop has seven superstores - including one in Middleton - already providing discounts of up to 70 per cent on food and household products. 

Mrs Abrahams said: “The coronavirus crisis is highlighting just how crucial the work of our hidden frontline care workers is.

"These are the people who keep our elderly and vulnerable safe and well fed every day and who have a vital role at this time with so many of us living in isolation.   

“Care workers are on the frontline just like NHS staff.

"They’re often poorly paid with many on zero hours contracts and some are seeing their hours reduced. 

“This idea to extend Company Shop’s membership to care workers is the brainchild of my colleague John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Dearne, who recognised the essential work care workers are doing, and suggested opening up the scheme as a way to say thank you and to give carers help with their family food costs. 

“Company Shop does a great job in cutting down food waste, reducing shopping costs for key workers and supporting special schemes for families most in need and I’m really grateful they’ve been open to this idea and put it into action so quickly.” 

There are around 215,000 adult social care workers in North West, with most - around 177,000 - working for local authority and independent providers.

One in four of those providing direct care is on a zero hours contract and sector average pay for this type of work in the independent sector is £8.33 per hour.  

Company Shop Group is the UK’s largest redistributor of surplus food and household products and is scaling up operations during the Coronavirus crisis to give more support to key workers on the frontline and provide immediate access to food to those who need it most.

It is calling for the support of the food and drink industry as it extends its reach to even more people. 

Company Shop Group also supports people most in need, through its social enterprise Community Shop.

Community Shop has also launched an emergency food box delivery programme to provide food for vulnerable communities. 

John Marren, founder and chairman of Company Shop Group, said: “We have always served a membership of NHS, emergency services and FMCG supply chain workers, and we are incredibly proud of the heroic job they are doing on the front-line.

"We are pleased to have been able to work closely with John Healey MP as we further extend our membership to care workers, who are playing a vital role to provide essential care across our region. 

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our incredible colleagues who are doing an amazing job every day to ensure that the shelves are stocked so that our members can continue to access the food and products they need, whilst helping to stretch family budgets, especially at this challenging time.” 

Company Shop membership has been extended to care workers working for local authorities and private providers who can apply for membership on the website: https://www.companyshopgroup.co.uk/ 

Company Shop is doing all it can to ensure members can shop safely, implementing all measure advised by the Government including social distancing and two-metre markings on the floor, screens at checkouts and a restriction on the number of shoppers in store at one time. 

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