Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited, the home of Hotpoint, Indesit, Whirlpool and KitchenAid brands, announces its UK partnership with Habitat for Humanity Great Britain (GB), a leading housing charity focused on long-term poverty alleviation through affordable social housing. The partnership forms part of Whirlpool UK’s new social responsibility strategy, House and Home.
House and Home is underpinned by the company’s commitment to improving life at home. The new strategy will seek to contribute towards safe, affordable and nurturing places to live, where families can make healthy choices and build a better future, while supporting thriving and sustainable communities through a number of educational and community development programmes.
To launch the new initiative in partnership with Habitat for Humanity GB, colleagues from Whirlpool UK will be volunteering at the charity’s Empty Spaces project in East London. The programme will see disused commercial premises repurposed into social housing, and colleagues from Whirlpool UK will be lending a hand between 15th-19th November 2021. The volunteers will support the charity in renovating and decorating the premises, transforming it into a home for vulnerable people.
According to recent research conducted by The Empty Homes Network on behalf of Habitat for Humanity GB, approximately 7,000 Local Authority-owned commercial units across England, Scotland and Wales have been vacant for over 12 months*. The research also suggests that an estimated 19,500 homes could be created in Great Britain from vacant space owned by Local Authorities*, offering a lifeline to vulnerable people living across the UK.
Whirlpool UK’s support for the Empty Spaces project coincides with Habitat for Humanity’s Europe Housing Forum, which is taking place virtually between 16th and 19th November 2021. The forum will bring together key stakeholders in civil society, government, the private sector, academia and more, to discuss both European and global housing issues. Whirlpool UK will be the Global Gold Sponsor over the four-day conference.
The Europe Housing Forum will also be hosting the European Housing Innovation Awards, which will recognise policies, solutions and initiatives that promote affordable housing. To further strengthen its support for Habitat for Humanity GB, Whirlpool UK will be sponsoring the Best Practices Award, which focuses on applauding initiatives that improve living conditions for low-income households, while emphasising sustainability and inclusiveness.
Ian Moverley, Public Affairs Director, Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited says: “We are incredibly proud to be launching our new initiative House and Home in partnership with Habitat for Humanity GB here in the UK. Homelessness and the number of people living in substandard housing is a significant challenge faced by communities across the country. We are passionate about supporting Habitat for Humanity GB’s work in renovating and refurbishing empty spaces, transforming them into homes for vulnerable people and working towards a future where everyone has a safe place to call home.
“I look forward to personally volunteering at the Empty Spaces project alongside many of my colleagues from Whirlpool UK, and we hope the development will act as a foundation for future projects across the country, improving the lives of individuals, families and communities.”
Tum Kazunga, CEO at Habitat for Humanity GB, adds: “The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the ongoing housing poverty in Great Britain, affecting thousands of vulnerable individuals and families. Partnerships such as this one helps us tackle this issue by providing vulnerable people a safe place to call home. We are delighted to have Whirlpool UK as a partner and look forward to working together with them as we continue to deliver much needed social hosing in London’s Borough of Barking and Dagenham.”
For more information on Habitat for Humanity, please visit the website at https://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/
Ends
Notes for editor:
* Repurposing Empty Spaces to Help Address the Housing Crisis Across England, Scotland and Wales (The Empty Homes Network, May 2021)
Further notes for editors:
Habitat for Humanity aims to create a world in which everyone has a safe, decent place to live. To achieve this goal, the charity builds homes, partnerships, communities and networks and, since 1976, has built over 1.3 million homes and helped around 29 million people, in almost 70 countries worldwide. With homelessness and the use of temporary accommodation on the rise in the UK, and with the number of available properties declining, Habitat for Humanity projects focus on building affordable housing to support vulnerable individuals and families.
Whirlpool Corporation has worked with Habitat for Humanity across the world since 1999, supporting programmes in 45 different countries with an overall commitment of $107 million. The company has donated and installed around 197,300 appliances in new homes built by the charity in the US and Canada alone, and has donated appliances to 76,000 families across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Image caption:
- Volunteers from Whirlpool UK supported Habitat for Humanity’s Empty Spaces project in East London
About Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited:
Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited is managed by Whirlpool EMEA, part of Whirlpool Corporation.
Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited fully supports the AMDEA safety initiative, Register My Appliance, and is committed to encouraging householders to register their appliances: www.registermyappliance.org.uk
About Whirlpool Corporation:
Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is committed to being the best global kitchen and laundry company, in constant pursuit of improving life at home. In an increasingly digital world, the company is driving purposeful innovation to meet the evolving needs of consumers through its iconic brand portfolio, including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit and Yummly. In 2020, the company reported approximately $19 billion in annual sales, 78,000 employees and 57 manufacturing and technology research centers. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com.
About Habitat for Humanity:
Housing poverty is a global problem and substandard housing is a key obstacle to social mobility, economic opportunity, and better health and wellbeing for over 1.6 billion people around the world. Habitat for Humanity believes everyone has a decent place to call home. We believe that a decent home helps to permanently break the cycle of poverty and allows families to achieve strength, stability, and self-reliance.
Our global projects increase access to housing for millions each year through a range of activities, including direct construction, advocating for land rights and security of tenure, increasing access to housing finance, and improved water and sanitation facilities. By working hand in hand with communities, since 1976 we have provided over 1.9 million homes and helped over 29 million people.
In the UK, we act as a catalyst, testing and piloting ideas and approaches that have the potential to help solve some of the biggest housing problems facing this country. We also look to directly support community partners, helping maintain and improve their housing stock.
https://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/
For further press information and images please contact:
Steph at jmm PR
Tel: 01536 414555
Email: steph@jmmpr.co.uk
Habitat for Humanity GB media contact:
Charles Font
07379 099 390
16th November 2021
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