When One Brand Showed Up: My Visit to Marks & Spencer

In a world where silence often follows vulnerability, a single reply can feel like a lifeline.

A few weeks ago, I reached out to several fashion brands with a simple, honest request: support. As a survivor of domestic abuse, currently rebuilding from homelessness while advocating for others through my platform and SAFECHAIN™, I asked whether any brand would consider providing clothing sponsorship — not as a handout, but as a show of human dignity.

Most never replied.

But Marks & Spencer did.

Their response was gracious, warm, and personal — a rarity in corporate communication. They thanked me for sharing my story, acknowledged the power of clothing to restore confidence, and invited me to visit a local store to speak with management directly. That invitation alone gave me hope.

I visited the Basingstoke store, where the team — Jay and Julia — were kind, welcoming, and respectful. We spoke openly. They took the time to listen. While I didn’t leave with any clothing that day and the decision-maker was not in store, I was encouraged to follow up by email. I did — and I wait with hope, not expectation.

What matters most is this: they saw me.

That one reply — and one moment of kindness — reminds us that change doesn't always come in grand gestures. Sometimes, it's in who dares to answer when you speak from the margins. In how a brand treats someone who has nothing to offer them but honesty.

I write this not to shame the ones who stayed silent, but to uplift the one that didn’t. Because when you’re trying to rebuild a life, something as seemingly simple as a new outfit can feel like armour.

Marks & Spencer, thank you. Whether this goes further or not, your reply was a reminder that compassion in commerce still exists.

For anyone reading this — brands, allies, individuals — remember: showing up matters.

— Samantha Avril-Andreassen