Asda employees wade in to help flood efforts

Flooding is continuing to blight areas of the UK, with many households still under water due to the extraordinary amount of rain we have had recently.

Stories of efforts and activitity to help those in need keep cropping up in the press, and today I thought I’d highlight one I spotted via Asda’s blog about their “amazing colleagues.”

I’ve written about Asda (a division of Walmart) a number of times before, particularly about their internal/external website, The Green Room. I’ll include the link at the foot of this article.

They run the Asda Foundation @AsdaFoundation, which is a charitable trust. It was set up in 1988 to support local good causes across the UK, chosen by its employees and is funded by the profits from the mid-week national lottery.

It has created a Flood Relief Fund, with £400,000 set aside to help those in need, and has spent £80,000 to date on getting emergency supplies, waders and sandbags distributed.

Store colleagues (what Asda calls its employees) have been out into their local communities to deliver food parcels, fill sandbags, support the operation to move cattle to safety, and provide clothing for those who’ve lost everything.

Julie Ward, Asda Foundation Manager, told me: “Our community colleagues up and down the country are pulling out all the stops at the moment to help people in their local community who have been affected by the floods.

“By ear-marking £400k from the Asda Foundation, we have empowered them to get on and do what’s required. No bureaucracy, no delay, just get on and do what’s needed. Be that waders for residents, hay for farmers, or bacon butties for the squaddies drafted in to help.
“As a result, local stores are demonstrating what it means to truly be part of the community in which they serve.
“Not surprisingly it is showcasing Asda at its best. Passionate colleagues, making a difference, at a time of need.”
Well done to everyone involved at Asda, I’ve read they have donated 6800 sandbags, 2500 waders plus hundreds of mops and buckets to help those affected.

Andrew Holmes, Regional Operations Manager for North West London, said: “Our Community colleagues went out late into the night in water 4-5 foot deep, handing out equipment to the most needy, some people had been cut off for days forced to move to upstairs rooms! Cars were buried under water, some had been jacked up, hoping to escape the damages of water.”

There’s much written about being brand advocates, telling authentic stories and showcasing real people, doing real jobs, in order to underpin a brand’s reputation. I certainly think this is a demonstration of all those aspects and congratulate Asda on doing a sterling job to help out.

Talking of real stories, Asda colleague Dawn Hackney, Security Manager at Asda Taunton, wrote on the Asda blog about spending the day in Moorland, one of the worst-hit villages in Somerset, helping to fill sandbags and deliver essential supplies to stranded residents. Dawn was working alongside volunteers from Flag (Flooding on the Levels Action Group):

“It was amazing to work along side such dedicated volunteers. We took the food in to pensioners John and Betty who have about 2ft of water being held back by sandbags, then I raced back to store to get vital supplies for Flag’s temporary office – a barn mid-renovation, just a shell, no windows, powered by a generator for lights and that all-important kettle! I got them wipe boards, radios, pens, toilet rolls etc so they can organise their planned attack.

“I’m truly humbled to work alongside such an amazing team like Flag, as they are the only people actually on the front line helping people. I’m also so proud to work for Asda who this week have really shown how they do care for the community, and I’m proud to be a part of it!”

 

 

 

 

— Dawn Hackney (@InsignificantMe) February 15, 2014

 

 

 

You can also see the tweets I’ve featured via @AsdaFoundation – and I spotted that even the Prime Minster, David Cameron, has recognised the good work they are doing, by retweeting their stories.

Want to read more about Asda? See my previous article about The Green Room.

Post author: Rachel Miller.

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