Greetings card-maker Card Factory created a giant card to say thank you to the NHS for its work during the Covid pandemic. More than 1,500 signatures were collected and almost £30,000 raised for NHS Charities Together. The card was 18 metres (59ft) long.

Card Factory Foundation, its charitable arm, also launched a Covid-19 Relief Fund to support staff who were struggling financially while on furlough. It was funded by the company's leaders, who took a 20% pay cut that helped more than 500 colleagues to pay their bills.

Card Factory is the UK’s leading specialist seller of greeting cards, dressings and gifts. It was founded in 1997 and now has more than 1,000 stores across the UK and Ireland. These are supported by a growing online sales business, and supplemented by new partnerships in the UK and beyond.

The company has its headquarters in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, with its own design studio and print factory nearby.

Card Factory aims to present shoppers with the widest and freshest card ranges. Its mission is to help customers celebrate life moments by providing a range of quality cards, wrapping, dressings, party and gifting products at value prices.

Green initiatives are part of company life. Most products are designed in-house, which means packaging can be reduced. The majority of cards are not wrapped, which cuts waste in the stores. This has reduced the company's carbon footprint, and has had a positive impact on waste-management costs.