A YORK retailer is donating £25,000 worth of products to support the work of a housing and homelessness charity.

Flooring Superstore, at Monk’s Cross, is gifting 590 rugs to Shelter, which helps people struggling with bad housing or homelessness through its advice, support and legal services.

The rugs will be sold at Shelter’s charity shops to raise funds.

Tracey Morrison, head of retail at Shelter England, said: “Donations are the lifeblood of our charity shops, so we are hugely grateful to Flooring Superstore for their generosity. These rugs are a welcome delivery in support of the gradual re-opening of our charity shops after the Covid-19 shutdown.

“Every penny raised will be used to underpin our vital work and frontline support services, which have been flooded with calls from people struggling with housing problems related to the pandemic.

"From people who’ve lost their jobs and can’t pay their rent, to homeless families stuck sofa-surfing, our expert advisers are helping thousands in desperate need of a safe home right now.

“The free advice and support Shelter provides can be life-changing, so we want to thank the Flooring Superstore for joining us in the fight against bad housing and homelessness at this critical time.”

The donation forms part of Flooring Superstore's corporate social responsibility programme, which supports charities, schools, organisations and good causes each year.

Dan Foskett, managing director, said: “This donation is our biggest donation to date, but we felt it was an important one to make, especially during these difficult and unprecedented times.

"We recognise the importance of giving something back to the communities which have been so supportive towards us. This is why our corporate social responsibility programme is so important, as it enables us to help local good causes, whether it’s an outdoor play area or vinyl flooring for an animal rescue centre.

“In Shelter’s case, we are hoping they will be able to make as much money as possible from the rugs and are looking forward to seeing how this money is spent as part of their ongoing efforts to tackle homelessness and bad housing.”