Wickes and Crown Paints have launched a charitable partnership that will see Crown Paints’ products donated to local community groups and organisations across the country.
The initiative sees Crown become the official paint partner for the Wickes Community Programme, which launched in 2022 to help local charities and community organisations transform and maintain spaces. The programme has a product fund of a quarter of a million pounds and has already supported over 2,400 projects, such as scout groups, community gardens and schools.
Through the collaboration, Crown has pledged to supply 34,000 litres of paint each year to community groups to enable Wickes to support even more projects.
In a commitment to improve sustainability within the decorating industry, the initiative also sees repurposed paint, that may otherwise be disposed of, given a new lease of life.
The announcement of the partnership comes following the launch of Crown Paint’s new environmental and social strategy, Project Possible. It focuses on five key areas around sustainability, charity, community, education, and people & culture, with a series of sustainability and people-focused programmes across Crown’s operations, as well as even greater support for the wider industry and local communities.
The first project to be undertaken under the new partnership took place at the New Hope Homeless shelter in Watford. As part of the Wickes Employer-Supported Volunteering (ESV) programme, Wickes staff members renovated four rooms in the shelter's emergency accommodation, using 70 litres of Crown paint.
Naomi Woodstock, Wickes PR and Community Programme Manager, said: “This partnership is about so much more than just a makeover, it’s a testament to the impactful change that can come from decorating and the first of many successful collaborations between the Wickes Community Programme and Crown.
“Launching our collaboration with this project was particularly inspiring, and its timing aligning with the season of goodwill only amplifies our shared commitment to giving back to those who need it most.”
Katie McClean, Marketing Director UK & Ireland at Crown, said: “We’re dedicated to making a positive difference to people and the planet in everything that we do, and our partnership with the Wickes Community Programme allows us to extend that commitment to those who need it most.
“In 2022 alone, we supported 437 community groups with over £60k paint donations, and we aim to increase this number next year.”
