Two Stevenage charities have been awarded £1,000 thanks to a partnership between M&S and Neighbourly. 

As part of the M&S Clothing & Home Christmas’ Gifts that Give’ campaign, which launched with the festive advert in November, £1million in total will be donated to charities across the country.

This comes after 69 per cent of community groups reported a rise in pressure on services, but a drop in funding.

Just be a Child and Friends of Ashtree will both receive £1,000 each from the campaign.

Just be a Child provides books and learning materials to children living in underprivileged communities. 

Founder Dr Lenka McAlinden said: “We are incredibly grateful for this donation from M&S which will help us organise four large volunteer events, resulting in around 50,000 books being donated to children in Kenya, as well as donations to 1,000 families and five libraries in the UK.

"All in all 100,000 books will be kept out of the landfill and given to those who truly need them. Thank you”

Friends of Ashtree is a group of parent volunteers from Ashtree Primary School & Nursery who organise fundraising events for the school.

Maria Jennings, chairperson of Friends of Ashtree, said: “We would like to say a big thank you to M&S for choosing Friends of Ashtree for this grant. We have been wanting to update the school’s library with new books, shelving and seating for a long time so are thrilled to have received such a generous donation which will be used to help us achieve our goal."

M&S Stevenage store manager, Dior Hudson said: “Although a time of celebration, Christmas can also bring significant financial pressure to families and charities.

"Both charities are based in the Stevenage and run by local people, our Stevenage store team feel passionate about working with Just be a Child and Friends of Ashtree and are proud to have helped them support and empower so many children, both locally and abroad, with this donation.”

M&S has been working with Neighbourly, a unique giving platform that has helped M&S carry out food surplus donations and volunteering work in local communities, since 2015.

Building on the Christmas ‘Gifts That Give’ Clothing and Home campaign, and to provide further support for those in need in the run up to Christmas, M&S is also donating 95,000 ambient products directly to groups, worth £50,000.