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Laura Ashley supports the NHS during administration
PwC worked alongside Laura Ashley workers, management and the Welsh government to supply essential medical garments for NHS staff.
Setting the scene
Despite Laura Ashley being in administration and having been furloughed, staff usually working out of the company’s manufacturing division in Wales wanted to aid the effort to support the National Health Service. This became a reality by responding to the spike in demand for medical garments such as scrubs.
How we helped
The PwC administration team worked with Laura Ashley management, the Welsh Government and healthcare uniform supplier Alexandra Workwear to manufacture 3,000 sets of scrubs a week alongside other essential products for the NHS. Our conversations with the Welsh Government led to the signing of a contract with Alexandra Workwear which supplies products to the NHS in Wales. The garments were supplied on a not-for-profit basis for frontline NHS workers.
To drive this activity, 41 Laura Ashley staff members volunteered to head back to work. As with all essential operations taking place under restrictions due to COVID-19, PwC’s key objective was to ensure that workers had a safe environment, operating under social distancing guidelines at all times.
Further activity centred on repurposing the manufacturing site to make the medical clothing, switching the usage from the previous purpose of making paint, wallpaper and soft furnishings.
“It’s a testament to the resilience and the will of Laura Ashley staff members that they put others first and led this vital work. We are very pleased to have played a small part by facilitating the agreement between the various parties involved.”
Making a difference
PwC is proud to have been able to facilitate relationships between a company in administration, the Welsh Government, and a workwear firm for the benefit of medical professionals at a time of uncertainty. As a result, more than 3,000 sets of medical scrubs were provided weekly to the NHS as it dealt with heightened patient demand during the pandemic.
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