Sainsbury’s Pound Lane has announced that Beat will receive a year’s worth of fundraising and awareness support.
The UK national eating disorders charity will be the store’s new Local Charity partner for one year. The money collected via the scheme will fund Beat essential helplines and online support services. Customers had a huge say in this year’s announcement and voted in-store and online between 1st and 15th May.
Beat held a fundraising and awareness weekend at the store over the weekend of 4-6 August.
The scheme, which began in 2009, has raised more than £5 million to support local communities in the last four years.
The Pound Lane Store situated in Thorpe St Andrew has had great success in supporting previous local charities and last year raised £2,627 for the East Anglia Children Hospice (EACH). EACH used the money in support of their new proposed premises for their The Nook Appeal.
Andrea Auburn, Community Fundraising Officer from Beat said: “We know the success that the Local Charity partnership has brought to many charities, so when we received the recent phone-call to tell us the news, we were thrilled.
“The exposure and support is going to be massively beneficial to our charity, which has been based in Norwich since 1989, and I would like to thank every Sainsbury’s Pound Lane customer who voted and already donated to our cause”.
Jason Symonds, Sainsbury’s Pound Lane, Store Manager added: “We’ve had a great response from our customers and we’re delighted to have chosen a charity which many of our customers and colleagues can associate with. We will now be working closely with the charity to ensure they really benefit from the Local Charity partnership”.
At least 725,000 men and women of all ages and backgrounds, are affected by an eating disorder in the UK. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness but recovery is possible.
Finding treatment quickly is crucial in saving lives and Beat can provide the first contact to guide and support people in accessing the treatment they need. The charity supports thousands of people every year through its helplines, message board and online services, which are funded by supporters.