Homelessness is always hard – not least at Christmas and certainly not least in the midst of a pandemic. In response to this crisis, Knightsbridge – one of the UK’s leading manufacturer of wiring devices, accessories and lighting – has donated a percentage of sales revenue from its weatherproof range to Signposts, a Dunstable and Luton charity dedicated to supporting the homeless in the company’s local area.

Signposts doesn’t simply provide accommodation to its clients: it offers a wider range of support that seeks to holistically address the causes and consequences of homelessness such as social isolation, mental ill health and substance/ alcohol abuse through a strengths-based approach which includes learning, sharing, developing and using skills.

The £12,000 donation stems from Knightsbridge’s social responsibility initiative Committed to a Brighter Future, which encompasses charity work, increased sustainability – such as a move to sustainable packaging that is both 100% recyclable and made from 100% recycled materials – and research into and investment in energy-efficient products.

The donation will be used as a starting point to set up ‘Knightsbridge bursaries’, a service that relieves the stress of electricity, gas, and food costs for people who have come into accommodation directly off the streets. Tim Archbold, Chief Executive of Signposts, said, “We are so grateful to Knightsbridge for their support. These bursaries will make a real difference to people’s lives and enable them to get back on their feet and back into society.”

Other Knightsbridge milestones realised under Committed to a Brighter Future so far include a 95% reduction in single use plastics, 98% of packaging being biodegradable; and contributions in both goods and volunteers that have helped feed over 1300 people at the company’s local food bank.

For donations to Signposts, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/signpostsbursaryfund

Roca Group has signed the acquisition of a 75% stake in Royo Group, the European leader in the field of bathroom furniture. Roca has purchased 62% of the company from the American fund HIG and the Royo family will continue to hold 25% of the firm’s capital.

Royo Group owns three production plants in Spain and Poland and two innovation centres. The company manufactures around one million pieces of bathroom furniture annually, with a turnover of 95 million euros in 2019 and a workforce of 793 people.

With this operation, Roca Group and Royo create a world leader in bathroom furniture, with a global turnover of over 173 million euros in this segment and a production of close to two million units per year in nine production centres located in Spain, Portugal, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, China and Brazil. Additionally, Roca Group is consolidating its leadership in the creation of bathroom spaces, increasing its market share in an activity that complements sanitary tile. Roca Group has been advised by Alantra and Broseta in this transaction, which is pending approval by the German and Polish competition courts.

As part of Roca Group’s strategy to set up specialized centres of expertise for different product categories within the bathroom space, Royo Group will become the hub for the development of the furniture segment for Roca Group, while continuing with the commercial development of its brands.

According to Albert Malgrans, CEO at Roca Group, “with this alliance, we reinforce the bathroom furniture category, key in our sector, with the European leader with whom we share the business vision and with whom we have collaborated closely over the last 10 years. This merger will allow us to further increase our competitiveness in the bathroom space and achieve the world’s leadership in this segment.”

Raúl Royo, CEO at Royo Group, highlights that this is “a great strategic alliance through a joint venture between the two companies, that reinforces the maximum possible commitment between both parties”. “The agreement with Roca, one of the largest Spanish industrial groups and a leader in the bathroom business worldwide, will help us to jointly build an even more leading and innovative company, accumulating almost 150 years of history in the bathroom sector between the two families”, he adds.

Roca Group operates in 170 countries with 81 production centres and a workforce of 24.000 professionals worldwide. In 2019 it recorded a turnover of 1.861 billion euros.

The Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) is calling for household water efficiency measures to be included in the upcoming Government spending plans.

In a pre-budget submission, the association has identified a number of ways public spending can be used to help drive down domestic water use and protect this natural resource.

Water scarcity is a crucial issue for the UK, as climate change and population growth are predicted to create a structural deficit in water resources by 2050. Government has launched a National Framework for Water Resources – a strategy which outlines a goal to reduce our average water use from 143 to 110 litres per day. But this will require action in every home in the country, as well as behavioural change.

BMA is calling on public policy makers to incentivise water saving on a national scale and reverse the upward trend in water usage.

Baths and showers are accountable for the highest water consumption in the home, at around 34%, with a further 30% of total water used to flush toilets. About 20% of a typical gas heated home’s use is warming water for showers, baths and taps. These figures mean any drive to improve the nation’s green credentials must include turning our attention to our bathrooms.

We are lobbying Government to consider prioritising water efficiency retrofit measures as part of a wider package of domestic retrofitting over the next two decades.

Recent research carried out by the BMA showed consumers are aware of the need to save water, and around half of those surveyed want to improve their household water efficiency. But worryingly, four in ten adults are not sure how to decrease their water usage. 

A Government commitment to systematically roll out change would signal the importance of protecting our water infrastructure and address the legacy issues in the UK’s existing housing stock.

Retrofit is an activity with multiple benefits for Government, society and the environment, creating jobs and boosting the economy in the wake of the pandemic.

To achieve the Government’s zero carbon target by 2050, a national programme is needed, with a central Retrofit Delivery Agency. We must ensure these programmes include water-saving measures to address the ever-increasing pressure on supply.