giffgaff’s Fair-play Summer helps members handle the heat
Summer’s meant to be all about ice creams, park hangs and soaking up the sun. But let’s be honest, it can also bring its fair share of frustrations.
All summer long, we’ve been on a mission to make things a bit fairer for everyone. From trimming down mobile and broadband bills to launching our Fair-play Summer Fund – where we wanted to hear your biggest seasonal gripes and do our bit to put them right.
What’s been bugging our community?
Unsurprisingly, one complaint topped the list time and time again: the seemingly endless, sticky heatwaves. When the temperatures spike, even simple daily routines feel like hard work.
So, we decided to step in and help people chill out. Literally.
Welcome to the giffgaff ‘keep your cool zone’
On 10 July, between 12 and 4pm, we set up a one-off keep your cool zone right in the middle of Boxpark Shoreditch.
We transformed the space into a refreshing pop-up haven designed to offer quick, well-deserved relief from the scorching city streets. People could grab an ice-cold treat, catch a refreshing burst of mist, and take a breather from the heat.
With our research showing that extreme temperatures are having a real impact on people’s wellbeing – including almost half of Brits (46%) struggling to sleep in the heat¹ – the activity was designed to provide a moment of relief while encouraging people to stay cool and look after themselves during the hot weather.
We carefully planned the activity to keep water use as low as possible while still providing a meaningful benefit to those taking part.
Your top tips on keeping cool
While passers-by were cooling off, we grabbed a microphone to ask them how they beat the heat of the city. Check out their best (and weirdest) cooling hacks.
A word from the boss
“Summer should be full of good moments, but when extreme heat kicks in, it can really take the joy out of the day. Our Fair-play Summer Fund was all about listening to what really bugs people during the warmer months and stepping in with practical, human moments of relief. Bringing our keep your cool zone to Shoreditch gave members and locals a chance to pause, refresh, and get back to enjoying their day.”
Kate Dohaney, giffgaff CEO
Join the conversation
While entries for the Fair-play Summer Fund are now officially closed, the chat doesn’t stop here.
Got a clever trick for surviving a heatwave, or want to vent about another summer sting? Head over to our community thread and share your thoughts.
¹Research of 2,000 UK adults conducted by OnePoll between 22 and 28 May 2026.