Donate a coat!

Mollie King, Geri Halliwell, Mary Berry, Stephen Fry and Joanne Froggatt unite with top fashion brands to warm up winter for older people

Mollie King of The Saturdays and Spice girl Geri Halliwell have joined forces with a bevy of other celebrities by donating coats to Age UK charity shops in a bid to warm up winter for older people.  Their coats will be sold on in one of the charity's 450+ high street shops across the country, raising money to help end the needless suffering of older people in winter as part of the charity's Spread the Warmth campaign.

The girl band queens' coats will go on-sale from 7 November 2012, along with donations from designer Julien MacDonald, actor and writer Stephen Fry, TV chef Mary Berry, and Downton Abbey's housemaid Anna Bates, Joanne Froggatt - visit Donate a coat to find out which coats are available and where to purchase them. A selection of brand new coats from high street hotties including Topshop, Barbour, Ted Baker, New Look, Wallis, Burton, BHS, Miss Selfridge, Jaeger, French Connection, Dorothy Perkins, River Island and H&M will also be available to buy.

Mollie King said: 'Donate a Coat is a wonderful cause and I'm really pleased I can lend my support to Age UK.  I hope whoever buys my coat loves it as much as I do.'

Geri Halliwell added: 'Everybody deserves to keep warm this winter. If you buy my coat it will really help Age UK. Big hug, much love, Geri.'

Spread the Warmth aims to make winter warmer for thousands of older people by providing information, advice and practical services to help keep warm and well this winter.  These include getting nutritious meals to older people, helping to keep homes warm, and giving free information 365 days a year. 

Over 200 older people die needlessly in Britain every day in winter because of the effects of cold weather[1]. Over 8,000 coats were donated and resold through Age UK shops last winter, helping to raise thousands of pounds to help keep older people warm. 

Hugh Forde, Managing Director Age UK of Retail, Trading and Training, said: 'It's great that our Donate a Coat appeal has already got such high profile support from celebrities and top fashion brands. We hope people across the country get inspired to support us too - by simply popping into one of our shops to donate or buy a coat you really will be helping to make life better for older people in winter.'

Too many older people are suffering and dying needlessly in winter because of the effects of cold weather, so Age UK has launched its annual Spread the Warmth campaign. The Charity and its local and national partners are aiming to make winter warmer for thousands of older people by providing information, advice and practical services to help keep warm and well in the colder winter months, preventing many thousands from being left isolated and alone.

Older people and their families can call Age UK Advice for free on 0800 169 65 65, where they can also order a free copy of ‘Winter Wrapped Up' leaflet.

Alternatively they can visit  www.spreadthewarmth.org.uk to download the guide, get more information about Spread the Warmth and find out where their local Age UK office or shop is. There will be lots of ways to help Age UK Spread the Warmth this winter. People can make a donation simply by calling 0800 169 87 87 or visiting  www.spreadthewarmth.org.uk.

-ENDS-

For further information and pictures of celebrities and coats please call Valery Lawrence at Age UK on 020 3033 1427 or email valery.lawrence@ageuk.org.uk.

[1] Age UK estimate of figures taken News release Office of National Statistics 23 November 2010

Notes to Editors

All our donated coats will be sold in our shops helping to raise vital funds for those in later life.

Age UK
For media enquiries relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland please contact the appropriate national office: Age Scotland on 0131 668 8055, Age Cymru on 029 2043 1562 and Age NI on 028 9024 5729.

Age UK is the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged, dedicated to improving later life.

We provide free information, advice and support to over five million people; commercial products and services to over one million customers; and research and campaign on the issues that matter to people in later life. Our work focuses on five key areas: money matters, health and well being, home and care, work and training and leisure and lifestyle. We work with our national partners, Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI (together the Age UK Family), our local Age UK partners in England and local Age Concerns. We also work internationally for people in later life as a member of the DEC and with our sister charity Help Age International.

Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England (registered charity number 1128267 and company number 6825798). Age Concern England and Help the Aged (both registered charities), and their trading and other associated companies merged on the 1st April 2009. Together they have formed the Age UK Group ("we").  Charitable services are offered through Age UK and commercial products are offered by the Charity's trading companies, which donate their net profits to Age UK (the Charity).

Winter 2011 marks the start of the second annual Age UK Spread the Warmth campaign. We are working with our local and national Age UK partners to deliver the campaign, along with the support of innocent, E.ON and Wilkinson.