In collaboration with De Ambrassade, Colruyt Lowest Prices and the Flemish government donate more than 15,600 hygiene packs to youth work in order to support summer camps

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

To guarantee safety at camp and during youth activities, extra material is required: from hand gel, soap and detergent to extra face coverings. Colruyt and the Flemish Government come to the rescue of youth organisations with 15,600 hygiene packs. As a result, Flemish youth organisations can safely go out camping. Colruyt Group's foodservice partner Solucious will provide logistic support.

"Colruyt Lowest Prices wishes to develop a durable relationship with youth organisations. With this donation, we want to contribute to a fantastic camp for each child. It is also a gesture of gratitude to youth associations and all the volunteers for their daily dedication," says Chris Van Wettere, general manager of Colruyt Lowest Prices.

Truckloads of hand gel

The packs could be ordered online at the Materiaalmagazijn (http://corona.materiaalmagazijn.be). Local groups had the opportunity to order maximum 5 packs per group. They are distributed at 13 locations in Flanders and Brussels.

A pack consists of: 50 protective face coverings, 5 bottles of liquid soap, 1 bottle of disinfecting hand gel of 1 litre, 3 boxes of tissues, 3 sprays of all-purpose cleaner, 2 times 275 metres of paper on a roll and 1 large bottle of all-purpose cleaner. Each organisation also receives 50 extra face coverings.

15,600 packs

There is much demand for the packs. The first stock of 10,000 ran out in two hours time. In the meantime, we also distributed the second stock of 5,600 packs.

"Due to the crisis, summer camps will be quite different this year. But it will not make them less unforgettable. The different leading teams and volunteers have made an effort, and often bent over backwards, to organise everything safely. The crisis also has a big financial impact on our youth organisations. With the Flemish Government, we want to support them with this initiative so everything can be organised safely. Indeed, the virus has not left yet," says Benjamin Dalle, Flemish minister of Brussels, Youth and Media.

Pick-up points

Distribution of the products starts today in different locations. Local authorities and many volunteers come to the rescue. Volunteers and local authorities worked together in 13 different locations to develop quick pick-up systems and even drive-ins to distribute the hygiene packs fast and efficiently.

Pick-up points are set up in the following cities: Antwerp (Borgerhout), Asse, Bekkevoort, Bruges, Etterbeek, Hasselt, Kortrijk, Lommel, Mechelen, Oostakker, Sint-Niklaas, Westmalle, Wetteren.

"The news that youth camps could take place this summer was great, but it made all volunteers, assistants and organisers set to work with the Youth work rules. They made sure they can go camping safely and responsibly. The support of Colruyt and the Flemish Government also gave  the organisers of youth activities and summer camps breathing space. This support by means of 15,000 litres of hand gel, countless face coverings and all other products enables youth organisations to focus on what it is really about: give more than 1 million children and youngsters the youth summer of their dreams." says Eva Vereecke of De Ambrassade.

Lasting collaboration between Colruyt and youth associations

Colruyt and youth associations have been collaborating for their summer camps for a few years now. At Colruyt, they benefit from several discounts. Since two years, youth associations can also order and pick up their products at Colruyt Group's online shopping service Collect&Go. The youngsters simply select the products they need by means of the app or at collectandgo.be and Colruyt prepares everything at the pick-up point they chose, near their campsite for instance. Finally, Colruyt Group's food service partner for professionals Solucious can offer optimal convenience. They deliver everything directly and food-safely to the campsite, anywhere in Belgium. Ideal for associations needing large volumes.

Belgian support

In Wallonia, Colruyt offers 3,400 packs to five large youth associations: Les Scouts, Les Guides, Le Patro, Les Scouts et Guides Pluralistes and Les Faucons Rouges. In total, we donate 19,000 packs to all youth associations in Belgium.

For press questions about the youth work summer, please contact:

Jory Maeyaert (0496 41 61 97) – [email protected]

Tom Demeyer, spokesman of Benjamin Dalle  (0472 84 15 99)

For press questions about Colruyt, please contact:

Yana Morren (0479 72 29 10) – [email protected]