Surprise Supermarket Donation May 21, 2015 12:00

A wonderful surprise awaited us at Sainsbury’s this week. A cheque for a staggering £7,158.25 was presented to us, following our year-long charity partnership with the Apsely Mills branch of the supermarket chain.

Charlie’s Gift has been working together with Sainsbury’s on fundraising initiatives over the past year, since their ‘Great Place to Work Group’ made us its local charity partner for 2014-2015, following numerous nominations from the store’s customers.

Sainsbury’s support over the past year has greatly helped to raise our charity profile locally. It has also helped to boost our funds through joint fundraising activities including a customer second hand bookstall in-store, charity pots at the tills and a Sainsbury’s staff football match against the Royal Mail.

On top of all this activity, we were invited in for a Christmas bag-pack last December. Charlie’s former football team (Hemel Youth), South Hill school classmates and friends and family of Charlie’s Gift gave up their time in the spirit of the season to lend a hand with the festive fun! Sainsbury’s customers clearly appreciated the extra help with their Christmas shop and really dug deep to show their thanks.

And finally, the fantastic Ukulele performances by local band Ukie Toones out the front of the store can’t go unmentioned. The group turned out in rain, sun and snow to raise funds for us, by entertaining customers with music as they made their way in and out of the store! Ukie Toones amazing support over the year at Sainsbury’s raised in excess of £2,000!

Thank you to each and every one of you for your time and dedication, and also to Apsley Mills Sainsbury’s staff and customers for their support. The money raised over the year will make a huge difference to the number of children we can now help locally with grants.