The leading car parts distributor’s partnership with Pennies sees any customer who pays for their goods on card, both in branch and online, offered the chance to add a 25p charitable donation to their total. And while for the last two years, those donations have gone to automotive industry charity, Ben, for the time being, they will go to the DEC instead.
The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities to raise funds quickly and efficiently at times of crisis overseas. Its current appeal states that more than four million people have fled Ukraine and a further seven million have left their homes since the conflict began, equating to more than a quarter of the country’s population in total and amounting to a huge humanitarian crisis.
DEC charities and their local partners are currently in Ukraine and neighbouring countries providing food, water, shelter and urgent medical assistance to refugees and those displaced from their homes.
Andy Hamilton, CEO of LKQ Euro Car Parts said: “This is clearly a fast-moving situation and, along with supporting the health and safety of our Ukrainian colleagues, our focus – as part of LKQ Europe and together with our colleagues from right across the continent – is on helping charities that can provide aid on the ground to reach as many people as possible.
“Using our Pennies partnership to support the DEC gives all of our UK retail customers the chance to
join our efforts.”
Alongside facilitating donations to the DEC, LKQ Euro Car Parts and LKQ Europe are also collecting donations to support employees affected by the crisis, and have so far raised more than £170,000.
Andy Hamilton continued: “We are offering accommodation to our colleagues fleeing Ukraine, and jobs where possible. And through our CEE network we are supplying drinking water by tankers, buying food packages online, and relocating female colleagues and the families of our male colleagues. We are so grateful to all of our customers and colleagues for their support at this time.”