Sky Retail helping the vulnerable at Christmas

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Sky Retail is more than just making sales. Staff on the ground often see first-hand how a simple gesture can make a huge difference, and how important it is for companies to engage with their local communities.

Sales Advisor Shelley McRobbie started out the Christmas period just like any other. But she'd soon realise that her role would become more important than she'd realise.

Here's Shelley's story...

"It all started around a month ago, a gentleman was looking at our Sky Glass, so naturally I pitched it to him and tried to encourage him to come over so I could demonstrate it for him.

He then stopped me and explained he was homeless. Initially, I thought he meant he was in a hostel so I explained he could consider a Sky Q puck for his room until he had a home of his own. He then told me he lived in his car. My heart absolutely broke at that moment.

It’s 2022. No one should be living like that. 

I went home that day and couldn’t sleep. The temperature was dropping and instantly I though of the gentleman in his car and how cold he must be. I popped an anonymous post up on a local Facebook group looking for information on resources available for homelessness, and did a Google research to try and find charities or just something that could help. 

I came back to work the next day armed with a really good list of resources which I had checked out to ensure I had the right numbers and that they were suitable for this gentleman’s situation and wrong these out on a piece of A4.

Initially, I was concerned about how he may react having told me his situation in confidence. But, after chatting to my colleague Gary Steman, and my Team Leader Brian Smith, I wrote a small note explaining I meant no offence but just wanted to help. Gary gave me the confidence that I wasn’t doing anything offensive even if I felt a bit uncertain if it was the right thing to do. Which now I know it was 100% the right thing to do. 

I went on my break when I spotted the gentleman in our town centre and approached him with the A4 folded up. I handed it to him and then, I will be honest, I went into a shop in case he took offence. I went back to the stand and he approached the stand in tears. He asked if he could give me a hug because he was so touched that I had done what I had for him. I asked him if he needed any help to contact the services but he said he would be ok. 

A few days later he approached myself and Gary to let us know he had contacted a few resources and had been offered a temporary accommodation for over the winter period with the prospect of a more permanent housing in the new year.

This absolutely made our day. He then told us when he was fully on his feet he will happily return to us so he can buy his Sky package from me in the future."