Kingfisher & Habitat For Humanity Team Up To Tackle UK Housing Crisis

• Joint efforts will focus on improving housing conditions by combining Kingfisher's expertise in home improvement with Habitat for Humanity's commitment to providing safe, affordable, and sustainable housing

Kingfisher, the international home improvement company, is teaming up with Habitat for Humanity Great Britain in a new charity partnership which will help tackle the UK’s housing crisis and help provide safe and affordable housing for the most vulnerable people.

This two-year commitment will combine both organisations’ expertise to demonstrate the impact and benefits of converting empty spaces into decent, affordable housing. Kingfisher will fund two programmes:

• Empty Spaces to Homes, which converts empty spaces into homes for vulnerable groups such as care leavers or survivors of domestic abuse.
  
  
• Housing to Home, which offers affordable upcycled furniture to households in need.

Kingfisher’s UK colleagues in London, Southampton and Yeovil will be getting hands-on with volunteering to support Habitat’s work. UK colleagues will be upcycling furniture, making lampshades, and painting tiles that will be used in Habitat’s programmes.

With a growing number of people in temporary accommodation and a decrease in the stock of affordable housing, this partnership comes at a crucial time.

Henrietta Blackmore, CEO of Habitat for Humanity GB, said:

“Habitat for Humanity is thrilled to have been chosen as Kingfisher’s UK Charity partner. The UK is experiencing a housing crisis that affects all of us, especially the most vulnerable. The last few years have highlighted the critical importance of housing and the role it plays in holding us together as a society. Whether it was the Covid pandemic or the current cost-of-living and energy crisis, it is clear that the lack of quality and energy-efficient housing impacts too many.

“With Kingfisher’s skills and expertise to help us, we will continue to provide better housing for the most vulnerable and address the social housing crisis in the UK.”

Dorothée D’Herde, Director of Responsible Business at Kingfisher, also commented: 

“Partnering with Habitat for Humanity gives us another opportunity to live our purpose: Better homes. Better lives. For everyone. Our colleagues are looking forward to contributing to our local communities, putting their DIY skills to the test, and ultimately making a meaningful and tangible impact to improving UK housing over the next two years.”

Source : Kingfisher

Image : Kingfisher team making lampshades

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