Marks & Spencer colleagues work closely with Neighbourly charity partners to redistribute surplus food from store, supporting over 4.7 million individuals. Over 3,000 local charities and community organisations across the UK provide M&S meal donations to support the community, including families in need, young people, and those with disabilities. Around 98% of M&S stores support a local good cause each week, with many stores partnering with at least two charities or community organisations. For example, at M&S’ Clapham Junction store surplus food is donated to Ace of Clubs, a day centre that provides hot meals and essential services for vulnerable and homeless people. Each day the charity serves up to 200 people, ensuring those in need have access to nutritious meals when they need them most. Thanks to the support of hardworking store colleagues, volunteers, and local charity partners, M&S has donated over 100 million meals through its partnership with food redistribution partner Neighbourly, since launching in 2015. The partnership with Neighbourly has prevented over 49,000 tonnes of good quality food from going to waste. This contributes to M&S’ target of 100% of edible surplus food to be redistributed by 2025/26, as part of its ‘Plan A’ roadmap to net zero. This year, with many people across the UK needing to rely on food charities to access good quality food, the partnership has seen over 30 million meals donated – the highest ever in the decade-long partnership. In the next phase of M&S’ partnership with Neighbourly, the retailer is trialling a new surplus food initiative which allows individual collectors to pick up donations to redistribute within the community. The initiative, which specifically supports the 2% of stores which don’t have a regular charity partner to donate to, is set to significantly increase the amount of fresh surplus food reaching those who need it most. The new programme is currently rolling out to an additional 50 stores across the UK and has already enabled M&S colleagues to redistribute the equivalent of over 30,000 meals. Lucinda Langton, Head of Sustainability at M&S Food, said: “Since launching our partnership with Neighbourly in 2015, we’ve redistributed the equivalent of 100 million delicious meals for people and communities in need across the UK from surplus food from our stores. This initiative not only helps tackle food waste and supports us in reaching our Plan A goals, but also makes a real difference to those who need it most." "None of this would be possible without the dedication of our incredible store colleagues, whose commitment and passion has already helped over 4.7 million people and will continue to provide even more support with the expansion of the individual collector programme.” Ben Fogle, Plan A Ambassador at M&S Food, said: “As M&S Food’s Plan A Ambassador, I’m delighted that our partnership with Neighbourly is not only reducing food waste but also helping people. We really do our best to keep waste to a minimum, but when we have a little extra, it’s great to know it’s being shared.” Tracey Cox, Store Manager at M&S Clapham Junction, said: “We are proud to support our local good causes ensuring essential food reaches those in need. Knowing that our surplus food is making a real difference in the community is truly rewarding.”

An independent Shetland knitting, yarn and haberdashery shop has seen its turnover more than double after accessing support from Business Gateway.   Local retailer, Loose Ends, is a mainstay on Lerwick’s Commercial Street, serving Shetland’s textile makers, creative industries and recreational crafters alike. The business, which prides itself on getting the best craft supplies and equipment quickly and at affordable prices, sells everything from fabric to knitting patterns, wool, wool accessories, quilting fabric, haberdashery and Shetland gifts crafted by independent local makers. The team are dedicated to supporting the crafting community, collaborating with small independent local farms to source single-origin wools, partnering with local makers, and offering extended opening hours to accommodate those with busy schedules.   Co-owner, Dee Henderson-Haefner, had worked in the store for 5 years under its previous owner. Looking to take over the business with her son Daniel Hanstrom, Dee reached out to Business Gateway in 2023 to support with business planning and financial forecasting that helped her to access essential funding.   Local Business Gateway adviser, Jeff Gaskell, supported Dee and Daniel throughout their business journey, providing expert one-to-one support across business planning and company regulations. Jeff also signposted the duo to funding opportunities and fully funded specialist marketing support from consultants at Tuminds, a dedicated digital marketing training provider.   Since taking over Loose Ends, Dee and Daniel have completely revamped the business, using Dee’s industry knowledge and contacts to craft a lasting connection with customers and establish a strong foundation for growth.   Loose Ends has seen turnover more than double since accessing Business Gateway support, enabling the business to take on its first employee and refurbish its storefront.   Dee Henderson-Haefner, co-owner, Loose Ends, said: “Business Gateway’s support has been instrumental in helping us secure the funding to take on the business and establish a strong foundation for our revamp." “Jeff has always been on hand to offer guidance and has been an invaluable resource for connecting us with the wider support network available that we wouldn’t have known about otherwise.” Jeff Gaskell, Business Gateway adviser said: “Dee and Daniel’s passion to revamp Loose Ends and bring it back to the heart of the community has been inspiring.    It's great to see the strong community response to their hard work and I’m delighted we have been able to support their growth.”

A Portsmouth IT company has partnered with a Meon Valley farm shop as it kickstarts its expansion across Hampshire. Tektraders Ltd, based in the heart of Portsmouth, has supported Westlands Farm Shop in Wickham to deliver the latest tech to help oversee its new second store in Winchester. As part of the partnership, Tektraders has supplied four state-of-the-art PCs and three monitors to speed up the farm shop’s back-office operations as the business grows. Tektraders Ltd Managing Director Rob Hepworth said, he was thrilled to see Westlands growing, having worked with the family-owned business since its earliest days. “The very first piece of equipment I sold to Westlands was a tiny gadget used to rewind its roll of stickers for its famous strawberries." “It’s a pleasure to see how far the farm shop has come and to witness the opportunities to integrate IT into its day-to-day operations." “We supply to a variety of organisations that are often keen to improve what they do. I love helping businesses sharpen up their tech portfolios as they start hitting their business growth goals." Kayleigh Collet of Westlands Farm Shop said: “It’s been an extremely busy year for us so far. We have recently opened our second store in Winchester, and we’re gearing up for our strawberry season. Our recent IT upgrade will help us keep our shelves fully stocked, manage finances and admin and help us oversee two stores at the same time.” Based in the heart of Portsmouth, Tektraders Ltd is an independent IT company which supplies tech to offices, schools and businesses.

Hendy Foundation, the independent charity affiliated with leading car dealer business Hendy Group, has confirmed its latest round of funding commitments for local charities across the south coast of England. The latest phase of donations includes The Sampson Centre for MS in Surrey. This takes Hendy Foundation’s charitable commitments in 2024 to over £50,000, benefitting 26 different charities. ● The charitable Hendy Foundation linked to leading motor retailer, Hendy Group, donated £50,000 to organisations across the south coast in 2024 ● The Sampson Centre for MS is a recipient of a new grant ● Over 200 small charities have now been backed with vital funds since Hendy Foundation was created In its latest funding round, Hendy Foundation has selected eleven small charities to support across six counties. These include: The Sampson Centre for MS (Surrey) Mid Kent Community Radio (Kent) Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Services DAVSS (Kent) Life Education Wessex (Dorset) Bournemouth Food Bank (Dorset) Dorset Mind (Dorset) Wild and Free Therapy (Dorset) Aldermoor Community Farm (Hampshire) PEDALL Inclusive Cycling (Hampshire) City Gate Community (East Sussex) Estuary League of Friends (Devon) Hendy Foundation has chosen to support the Sampson Centre in this latest round of funding. They currently support 250 registered disabled people who live with Multiple Sclerosis, providing oxygen therapy, physiotherapy, exercise and advice to help relieve and minimise their symptoms. Hendy Foundation helped the charity with funds to pay for one month's supply of oxygen therapy. Since its launch, Hendy Foundation has granted over £350,000 to more than 200 charities in communities that are local to Hendy Group’s car dealerships across Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex, Surrey and Kent. On average, Hendy Foundation receives between 50 and 100 applications for each funding round, which typically occur two to three times per year. A panel of volunteer trustees carry out a detailed due diligence process to determine which are most eligible to receive support. Some of the charities previously supported by Hendy include: · Dyscover, Surrey: Hendy Foundation donated to this specialist charity, which supports people with aphasia, a speech and language disorder which is acquired following a brain trauma. The grant has enabled the charity to buy new laptops for specialist staff. · Jigsaw South East, Surrey: Hendy Foundation has supported this charity twice since 2019, first in 2021 when providing support for bereaved children and young people who have suffered a bereavement of a loved one and the second in 2024 with a grant specifically for family bereavement groups. Launched in 2019, Hendy Foundation is a dedicated charity that provides grants to local charitable projects, people and charitable organisations. The family-run Hendy Group’s commitment to supporting local communities goes back generations, and the Hendy Foundation continues to explore exciting new ways to strengthen and improve upon these links. About Hendy Foundation Hendy Foundation is an independent charity affiliated with the family-run automotive dealer group Hendy Group, established in 2019. Run by a number of trustees, Hendy Foundation supports small, local charities that fall within the footprint of Hendy Group across the South Coast. About Hendy Group Hendy Group is a family-run automotive dealer group, established in 1859 and celebrating 165 years of operation in 2024. With fifth generation family member, Paul Hendy, currently CEO, the business now employs over 1,700 colleagues. In 2024, the Group is ranked 18th in the AM Top 100, with a 2023 turnover of just over £1bn. The Group proudly represents 22 automotive brands across the South Coast and is committed to providing world-class customer service at all of their dealerships.

The foursome were spotted frolicking through their woodland home and splashing in their pool in the February sunshine. Whipsnade Zoo’s predators section manager Sarah McGregor said: “It’s so lovely to have our four bears out and about again at Whipsnade Zoo. Every year when they emerge from hibernation, we know that spring has finally arrived!" “While they were a little sluggish at first, our four girls have now well and truly woken up – especially after a dip in the cold water! They’ve been busy exploring their woodland home, taking in the smells and sights, climbing the trees, and causing a commotion playfighting in the water.” Wild bears enter hibernation, a survival skill they’ve learned to preserve energy when food availability is scarce, every winter. Sarah explained: “Although food is plentiful here at the zoo, the bears are still driven by innate instincts to forage, and so we adapt what they are fed to match their behaviour.” “Every year we devise a personalised nutrition plan for our brown bears to make sure they get enough calories, and ensure they bulk up during the autumn, ready for a nice long, deep sleep.” “They’ve had a good long snooze, but now that they are ready to be active again they’ll be getting a range of meat, seasonal veg and other nutrient-rich foods which will increase their muscle mass after hibernation.” While European brown bears are listed by the IUCN as a least concern species, some subpopulations in Europe are Critically Endangered from habitat loss and human/bear conflict. Sarah added: “Our bears are great ambassadors for their species, to help educate and raise awareness of European animals and highlight how important it is for us to find ways for people and wildlife to coexist. " “ZSL, the international conservation charity behind Whipsnade Zoo is working around the world to restore habitats and protect important species. We’re so lucky to have Naya, Cinderella, Mana and Minnie at the conservation zoo to educate visitors on the threats facing bears in the wild and what we can all do to help.” Visitors to the conservation zoo this spring will be able to see the bears, as well as 10,000 other animals, enjoying the spring sunshine for themselves. To find out more and book tickets, visit Whipsnade Zoo | A ZSL conservation zoo PICTURE STORY: Whipsnade Zoo’s four European Brown bears Mana, Minnie, Naya and Cinderella, have awoken after three months of deep slumber, signalling the start of spring at the UK’s largest zoo.

Marks & Spencer has today announced a £95m investment in its retail pay offer. This is the biggest investment M&S has made in its retail pay offer and third consecutive increase since Stuart Machin became CEO in 2022, despite new cost pressures from the Government. £95m investment in UK retail pay, to at least £12.60 per hour, in line with the Real Living Wage, effective from 1 April 2025. Since 2022 M&S has invested more than £285 million in its retail pay package, increasing its standard hourly rate by over 26%, which is double the rate of inflation over the same period. Leading benefits package including an uncapped 20% colleague discount, an industry leading pension contribution and 26 weeks maternity / adoption leave at full pay – when combined with new hourly rate could be worth up to £15.40 an hour. From 1 April, the rate of pay for UK Customer Assistants (approximately 50,000 colleagues) will increase from £12 to £12.60 per hour, representing a 5% increase on last year and a 26% increase since 2022, which is double the rate of inflation over the same period (13.5%). For a full-time colleague outside of London, that’s an increase of around £98* per month compared to today’s current rate. For Customer Assistants working in London, the hourly rate will increase from £13.15 to £13.85, representing a 5.3% increase on last year. For UK Team Support Managers, the hourly rate will increase from £13.05 to £13.65, while for those in London, it will increase from £14.20 to £14.90. Last year, M&S invested £89m in its UK retail pay and a further £5m annual investment to enhance its maternity, paternity, and adoption policies. The 2025 investment means that since 2022, M&S has invested more than £285 million in its retail pay package. It also means that every UK store colleague will continue to be paid the Real Living Wage as their base pay, with M&S’s wide range of benefits – such as its industry leading 20% colleague discount, which when combined could be worth up to £15.40 per hour. The leading benefits package includes: An uncapped industry leading 20% colleague discount across all M&S branded food and clothing, home and beauty products – as well as selected branded products. An industry-leading pension contribution of up to 12%. The opportunity to participate in colleague Sharesave scheme. Access to a 24/7 virtual GP service and employee assistance programme for colleagues and their family. 26 weeks maternity / adoption leave at full pay and six weeks paternity leave at full pay. Neonatal Leave of up to 12 weeks’ fully paid leave for any UK colleague whose baby requires specialist neonatal care, without having to worry about using up their maternity, paternity or adoption leave. Life cover of up to 4x salary. Free eye tests at M&S Opticians. Access to six free physiotherapy sessions. Further benefits to support health and wellbeing, including Check4Cancer support and risk assessments for the top five most common cancers in the UK – with free screenings for colleagues at higher risk. Support for colleagues experiencing menopause, as well as uniform and specialist line manager training. Stuart Machin, M&S Chief Executive said: “Following the Government’s recent increases in tax and national insurance contributions, it’s no secret that M&S and indeed the entire retail sector has some significant cost headwinds to face into in the new financial year." However, I have always believed that we should not allow these headwinds to impact our hourly paid colleagues, which is why today, for the third year in a row, we are making a record investment in our retail pay offer. This means we have now invested almost £300m in our pay over the past three years, well above the rate of inflation, in addition to our market leading discount and pension offer for colleagues.”

M&S and local charity Action Cancer are celebrating a remarkable milestone in their 15-year partnership, having raised an incredible £1,222,835.21 since 2010. This funding has enabled the delivery of more than 23,000 life-changing therapeutic sessions for people affected by cancer across Northern Ireland. To mark this milestone, a special event was hosted at Action Cancer House. Attendees heard first hand from inspirational people who have benefitted from the partnership, as well as learned how the funds have directly supported key therapeutic services, including counselling, acupuncture, scar therapy, and positive living programmes. Thanks to the generosity of M&S colleagues and customers, the partnership has to date provided: 8,000 Counselling Sessions 7,500 Complementary Therapy Sessions 3,500 Acupuncture Treatments 1,015 Pilates / Yoga Sessions 570 Positive Living Programmes (two-day course) 1,250 Scar Therapy Sessions 1,250 Life Coaching Sessions Dougie King, Head of Fundraising & Communications at Action Cancer, commented: "M&S’s unwavering support over the past 15 years has been transformative for our charity. The incredible £1.2 million raised has enabled us to deliver life-changing services to thousands of individuals and families across Northern Ireland." “We are profoundly grateful to M&S colleagues and customers for their generosity, passion and dedication to making a difference. This partnership has truly been a lifeline for so many.” Ryan Lemon, Regional Manager for M&S in Northern Ireland and one of the driving forces behind the partnership, added: "Working with Action Cancer has been a true privilege for everyone at M&S. Seeing the tangible impact of the funds raised – whether it’s counselling sessions or scar therapy – is incredibly rewarding." “This longstanding partnership represents the shared commitment of our colleagues and customers to giving back to our community and supporting such a vital cause.” Over the years, M&S colleagues have embraced a wide range of fundraising initiatives, from in-store campaign to endurance challenges. One of the first major events when the partnership began in 2010 was the 'On Your Bike' campaign, which saw over 40 M&S colleagues cycle 400 miles across Ireland. The four-day challenge began at the M&S Belfast store on Donegal Place, with participants visiting various M&S stores along the way. This ambitious effort set the tone for the incredible dedication and community spirit that has defined the partnership over the past 15 years. Last year, M&S People Team Manager Niamh O’Neill joined colleagues from across Ireland to complete the 4-Peaks Challenge, raising £50,000 by climbing the four highest peaks in Ireland within 48 hours. Reflecting on the summit climbs, Niamh said: “It was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done but knowing that our efforts would make a real difference to families affected by cancer kept us going. It’s incredible to see how the money we raised translates into life-changing services.” The 15-year partnership between M&S and Action Cancer demonstrates the power of businesses and charities working together to create meaningful change. The stakeholder event showcased the lasting impact of this collaboration, inspiring continued efforts to support individuals and families affected by cancer in Northern Ireland.

CBI Wales has called for reform of the planning system to kick-start the construction of key projects that will deliver sustainable growth. In its ‘Planning for Growth’ report, it makes a series of recommendations aimed at building a well-funded, innovative planning framework that will speed up the construction of housing and infrastructure projects. The report also calls on the Welsh Government to work closely with the UK government and local authority planning departments to improve the system, making it easier for businesses to invest in Wales. There are five key areas with detailed measures set out in the report. They are as follows: Provision of better resources for planning authorities by: The Welsh Government providing regular and consistent funding of local government planning systems. The Welsh system has suffered a 50% real-terms budget cut since March 2008. Ringfencing of planning application fees with this pot of money to be spent on improving the planning system. Creating a centralised ‘floating’ team of planners with the expertise to speed up the passage of energy, other projects and to tackle environmental concerns that can hold up applications. Innovation and technology to be at the heart of an overarching planning strategy which requires: A fresh focus on investment in innovation and technology. The need for local planning authorities to work closely with the Welsh Government economy department to aid consistency of decisions-making across planning departments. Ensuring Technical Advice Notes (TANs) provide detailed advice for developers and decision-makers. These documents must be fit for purpose, align with net zero targets and remove blockers in the planning system. Boost housing supply and reform of local development plans by: Restoring a planning note known as TAN 1 which requires local planning authorities to maintain a five-year supply of deliverable land for housing. Replacing unused 15-year development plans with fresh proposals once they time expire. Take steps to tackle a nationwide shortage of planners by: Ensuring the Welsh Government and local authorities work closely with schools, colleges and universities to raise awareness of planning careers. More efficient and closer working between the devolved and UK governments on large-scale infrastructure projects: Pre-application planning consultations should be reviewed to flag potential snags that delay applications. The Welsh and UK governments must work together to establish an effective planning system that supports the development of large-scale nationally significant infrastructure projects (e.g. offshore wind, Carbon Capture and Storage). Russell Greenslade, Director, CBI Wales, said: “It’s a crunch time for growth and businesses looking to invest in Wales. Our need to reach housing targets and improve key infrastructure such as roads can often be frustrated by inefficiencies in the planning system." “Without urgent reform, there is a danger the Welsh planning service will become a ‘Cinderella’ service. Wales can’t afford to be left behind on sustainable economic growth, especially with the Chancellor looking to leverage the UK’s overall strengths through planning reform, airports expansion and transport infrastructure." “I welcome the Welsh Government’s recent proposals to reform the land use planning system and delegate decision making powers for certain projects to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales. However, the government must build on this work by incorporating our report’s recommendations." “Wales’ planning system can catalyse growth if these changes are made. Our proposals will give firms the confidence to place long-term investment in Wales, bringing jobs and prosperity and improvements to infrastructure.”

M&S has announced the opening date for its highly anticipated, expanded foodhall at Union Square. The doors will open on Friday 11th April at 8am, promising a fresh and exciting shopping experience. Customers visiting Union Square from 11th April onwards, will be able to enjoy a larger foodhall, double its previous size, as well as a brand new Coffee Shop and modern menswear department. The star of the show is the 18,900 sq ft fresh market-style foodhall which will feature the full range of M&S food and offer a fresh market feel to produce shopping. Highlights will include a significantly larger in-store bakery, a dedicated Hot Chicken Counter, a cheese barge and dedicated in-store Flower Shop and M&S Wine Shop, featuring an award-winning selection of popular favourites in the M&S Classics range. This exciting expansion replaces the existing 9,000 sq ft Union Square foodhall and the St Nicholas Street store. To allow for the final touches, the existing Union Square foodhall will close for one day on April 10th, with a small Food On The Move and take away coffee offer available at the front of the store. The Coffee Shop at M&S Union Square will be closed on 3rd March until 11th April. The foodhall at M&S on St Nicholas Street will close on Thursday 10th April. The remainder of the St Nicholas Street store will close in summer 2025. Store Manager Luke Smith, who has worked at M&S for six years and has managed both the St Nicholas Street and Union Square stores, said: “We are counting down the days until we can unveil our expanded store to the Aberdeen community. This is a game-changer for shoppers, offering customers an exciting new foodhall with delicious, great quality food and the trusted value they expect from M&S.” The dedicated store team of more than 300 colleagues are thrilled to welcome shoppers. The opening of the new foodhall, coffee shop and menswear section is part of plans for an impressive 97,300 sq ft full-line store, with a foodhall almost double the size of the previous offering, represents a £15m investment in Aberdeen City Centre and is part of a £30million investment by M&S in its Scottish stores. Rachel Rankine, Regional Manager for M&S in North Scotland said: "This flagship store represents a significant investment in Aberdeen and underscores our commitment to the region. We're incredibly proud to bring the very best of M&S to local customers, including delicious food, trusted quality products, and great value options, all within a modern shopping experience." The transformed store, which is expected to fully open in Summer2025, will also boast a 48,000 sq ft Clothing, Home & Beauty department, showcasing popular M&S brands like GoodMove, Per Una, Autograph, and Apothecary. Customers will be able to find the latest fashions and beauty must-haves all under one roof, with the Beauty department set to triple in size to offer a greater selection of branded beauty products. For added convenience, customers can use both Click & Collect and Scan & Shop services at the store. M&S Aberdeen Union Square, located at Union Square Shopping Centre, Aberdeen, will open its expanded foodhall on Friday 11th April at 8am.

Castleford College’s Automotive students have benefited from a generous equipment donation from one of the UK’s leading sustainable waste management companies, Biffa. Chris Williams and Richard Hoyland from Biffa recently visited the College’s Automotive Department to donate the DAF LV truck, which was previously used to empty bins on the A1’s laybys. The addition of the truck to the Department’s extensive fleet of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) and Large Good Vehicles (LGV), ensures that its learners can train on industry-standard equipment which is used out in the field. Biffa currently employs two of Castleford College’s Level 3 HGV Apprentices, Bailey and Nathan, who are currently progressing through their three-year programmes. Richard Hoyland, Biffa Regional Fleet Manager for Yorkshire and East Midlands, said: “We’re great advocates of apprenticeships at Biffa and are continuously looking for ways to support apprentices coming through the industry. We hope that the donation of the DAF LV truck will enhance Bailey, Nathan and other apprentices’ learning, enabling them to practice and further develop their service and maintenance knowledge.” Greg Clark, Head of Engineering and Automotive at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group said: “Donations such as these are incredibly valuable to our department and are vital in helping to train the mechanics of the future. This will enable our apprentices and learners to hone their skills when it comes to inspecting and repairing HGVs, which will prepare them for a range of roles in the industry.” Castleford College offers a variety of apprenticeships across a wide range of sectors, providing businesses a route to harness fresh talent, whilst enabling students to earn as they learn.

Last month, M&S teamed up with Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy and Prostate Cancer UK to encourage more men to check their risk of prostate cancer online. In the first two weeks of the six-week campaign, M&S has raised over £55,000 for Prostate Cancer UK as £4 from every pack of all M&S Autograph men’s underwear is donated to Prostate Cancer UK. There have been over 75,000 completions of the risk checker since the launch of the campaign, with over 61,000 from men at higher risk. As the UK market leader in men’s underwear, M&S has galvanised the support of its 32 million customers, 65,000 colleagues and celebrity ambassadors - including football legend Ian Wright - to spark a nationwide conversation about prostate cancer. Thanks to the incredible support from customers and colleagues, Marks & Spencer has already raised over £55,000 for Prostate Cancer UK, just two weeks into its campaign to encourage more men to get checked for prostate cancer, as it sells over 14,000 packs of pants. Last month, M&S announced it had teamed up with Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy and Prostate Cancer UK to encourage more men to take ‘a brief check’ for prostate cancer. The campaign has seen M&S leverage its UK market leading position in men’s underwear, along with its 32 million customers, 65,000 colleagues – and celebrity ambassadors, including football legend, Ian Wright - to spark a nationwide conversation about prostate cancer. The campaign has encouraged men across the nation to use Prostate Cancer UK’s online Risk Checker – a quick and simple tool that enables men to find out their risk in 30 seconds and learn what they can do about it. At the end of January, Prostate Cancer UK revealed that prostate cancer is now England’s most common form of cancer, with cases rising by a quarter between 2019 and 2023. Today, one in eight men will get prostate cancer, and for Black men their risk is double. However, the earlier you find it, the easier it is to treat. In just two weeks, over 75,000 men have completed the online risk checker – which can be found on Prostate Cancer UK’s website and has been promoted by M&S via a QR code available in all of our Clothing & Home stores at point of sale and fitting rooms, as well as on the product listing webpages of men’s Autograph underwear on M&S.com. According to Prostate Cancer UK, of these online checks, over 61,000 were deemed at higher risk of prostate cancer, and so as a result were given advice to speak to their GP to discuss the PSA blood test. M&S will continue to donate £4 per pack for all men’s Autograph underwear (excluding vests and socks) to Prostate Cancer UK, until the end of March, to further support the charities lifechanging work. Mitch Hughes, Menswear Director, Clothing & Home at M&S commented: “As the market leader in men’s underwear, we knew we had an opportunity to support Sir Chris’ inspiring message and spark a nationwide conversation about prostate cancer. I have been absolutely blown away by the response from our customers and colleagues so far. The funds raised will help support the incredible work of Prostate Cancer UK and we’re hoping to raise even more over the next few weeks of the campaign. Who knew a pair of pants could be so powerful!” Laura Kerby, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK, said: "Sir Chris has changed the way the UK thinks about prostate cancer - with more men now aware of their risk and the option to ask their GP about a simple PSA blood test, and politicians talking seriously about screening. His impact has already been huge, and we were thrilled to team up with Sir Chris and Marks & Spencer to keep this momentum going." "Our partnership has already started changing and saving lives. Tens of thousands of men have taken that all-important first step of taking our online Risk Checker, which will certainly lead to more men getting an earlier, curable diagnosis who might otherwise have got much worse news. What's more, the thousands of pounds raised by M&S customers will mean we can support more men living with prostate cancer, and fuel research into our TRANSFORM screening trial and better treatments. We're grateful to Sir Chris, M&S, and shoppers across the UK for making this happen!” To check your risk, visit Prostate Cancer UK's online Risk Checker here. If you are at risk, the best first test for signs of prostate cancer is a simple PSA blood test, and you have the right to get one for free from your GP. If you're concerned about prostate cancer, you can talk with our Specialist Nurses on 0800 074 8383 or via the Prostate Cancer UK website. Above Photo: Mitch Hughes, Director of Menswear & Sir Chris Hoy

Responding to the Payment System Regulator’s final report from its market review of card scheme and processing fees, Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said: “The finding from the regulator that card fees cost business at least £170 million per year is not a surprise to small businesses, but it illustrates one of the unavoidable cost pressures they are facing. With just two giants now controlling over 95 per cent of UK card transactions, both are ‘must-takes’ for small retailers. The lack of downward competitive pressure on the supplier side allows fees to rise, but these hit small business growth and investment and feed through into higher prices." “Every form of payment comes with its own pros and cons, but with card payments from just two dominant providers taking such a huge slice of the market, small firms often feel they have no choice but to accept them, even when it means their margin takes a direct hit." “To boost economic growth, small businesses will now look to the regulator to impose remedies such as caps on fees. This would control costs for small business merchants in the short to medium term while other steps are taken to increase competition in the cards market, but also more broadly in the area of payments and cash.”