A YORK retailer has pledged to raise £20,000 for a not-for-profit organisation which provides activities for members of the armed forces, emergency services and key workers.

Flooring Superstore has joined forces with the Woodland Warrior Programme, a community interest company which runs a woodland retreat on the outskirts of Bristol, helping people cope with post-traumatic stress disorder and other stress and mental health issues.

Set up by Royal Marine Commando, Nick Goldsmith and his wife Louise, the programme was initially aimed at helping military veterans "recuperate, recalibrate and re-engage with civilian life," but they have extended this to support others, particularly in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This now includes key workers such as NHS staff, nursery workers, bus drivers, factory workers and shop assistants who worked on the front-line during the very worst part of the pandemic.

One of the first projects Flooring Superstore - which has store at Monks Cross, York, and 19 other stores across the UK as well as an online presence - is supporting are workshops for 200 key workers.

The one-day workshops, which are taking place between September and December, involve activities centred around bush-craft and the natural world. This includes foraging, tracking, making fire and shelters, wild cooking and general wilderness living skills.

Flooring Superstore managing director, Dan Foskett, said: "Each year, we ask our staff to choose a charity or organisation to support as part of our corporate social responsibility programme, which also includes donations of flooring in the areas where we have stores.

“This year we were struck by the number of organisations put forward who are working to help people with mental health issues and post-traumatic stress disorder.

"All were very deserving, but we choose the Woodland Warrior Programme because it is a smaller organisation which has a direct impact on so many people from different walks of life."

Flooring Superstore has been supporting the Woodland Warrior Programme throughout 2020 and has been inviting customers online and at its York store to make donations to the project.

The company is then match funding the donations with the aim of raising at least £20,000 for the programme.