Bed retailer Dreams is supporting the electricity safety charity, Electrical Safety First, with a donation of 150 electric blankets to replace unsafe models belonging to the public.
Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards Service, with funding from Electrical Safety First, will be safety testing electric blankets between 10am and 3pm on Monday 27th February at the Fairfield Centre, Leatherhead and on Tuesday 28th February at St Mary’s Community Centre, Byfleet. Members of the public are invited to bring their electric blankets for inspection, with any found to be unsafe replaced free of charge.
This initiative comes as homeowners are increasingly relying on electric blankets to mitigate the impact of increasing heating costs. In a recent investigation, consumer champion group Which? tested electric blankets bought from online marketplaces and found 80% can’t be legally sold in the UK while 70% were poorly made and 27% posed electric shock risk.
Dreams’ support of this activity forms part of its Force for Good strategy, which aims to generate a positive impact on colleagues, communities, and the planet. It also speaks to Dreams’ People-First Culture that empowers colleagues and communities to look after one another.
Alex Woods, Head of Risk, Health & Safety at Dreams, said: “We know that due to the cost-of-living crisis an increasing number of households are turning to electric blankets to help keep heating costs down during the colder months. Safety is so important, and that’s why we are supporting Electrical Safety First to ensure that households relying on electric blankets this winter can do so with peace of mind. We’re grateful to Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards Service for facilitating this initiative and providing us with an opportunity to support our customers and their communities.”
