Furniture maker Dunelm is retooling a curtain factory to make medical gowns for NHS workers.
The company said it is working with the NHS to re-purpose its curtain production site, although it is not using curtain materials to make the gowns.
Staff have also got their sewing machines out and are stitching everything from fabric covers for PPE masks, to make them less scary when speaking with little ones, to simple cotton laundry bags so NHS workers can transport their uniforms home for safe washing.
The company has also reopened its online site, with new social distancing measures in place at its warehouses.
Chief Executive, Nick Wilkinson, has agreed to take a 90 per cent pay cut for the next three months amid the coronavirus pandemic, while the chairman and non-executive directors have waived all of their fees.
Nick Wilkinson said: “We remain focused on doing the right thing for our colleagues, customers and the communities where we operate, and I am pleased that we have safely reopened our online operations.”
“I am immensely grateful for the dedication and commitment of our colleagues and supplier partners who have demonstrated great agility and determination in a dynamic and unprecedented situation.”
Like most retailers, Dunelm is trying to save as much cash as it can to stay afloat while stores remain closed – and staff furloughed – due to the coronavirus lockdown.
“Whilst many uncertainties remain, we have ensured that Dunelm and its many stakeholders will be well supported through this difficult period and are confident that we will emerge from this crisis as a stronger business ready to return to sustainable and profitable growth” Wilkinson said.
The retailer is working to make sure that its stores are set up to comply with social distancing guidance when they are allowed to reopen.
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