M&S work experience for homeless

HIGH Street stores group Marks & Spencer has a new tactic in its bid to boost sales - pull on shoppers' heartstrings.

The company, suffering after a poor Christmas, is spending millions on a work experience scheme for the disadvantaged.

M&S hopes an enhanced reputation with swathes of Middle England will help it recover its poise under Belgian chairman Luc Vandevelde.

The Marks & Start drive will see the retailer offer unpaid work experience to 2,000 pupils, 200 parents returning to work, 200 homeless people, 100 disabled and 100 unemployed.

With the change to tuition fees looming, the company's definition of the disadvantaged also stretches to students who have no 'tradition of education in their family unit'. They will be paid.

Vandevelde admits the scheme will be 'costly' but said he expects it to benefit the group's 'financial performance and ultimately shareholder value'.

M&S admitted last month sales of women's clothing went into freefall over Christmas. It has also warned tens of thousands of staff that their bonuses will be well below last year's.