Disadvantaged local children will be better off, thanks to the generosity of Burwell residents and supermarket staff.
On Saturday (May 7), the Co-operative supermarket in North Street put on a raffle and bake sale, raising a whopping £445 for charity. Of that, £220 will go to the Red Cross, the Co-op’s charity of the year, and £225 to Little Miracles, a parent led support group for families in Ely, Cambridge and Newmarket caring for children with additional needs, autism, disabilities and life limiting conditions.
The charity fundraiser was organised by Co-Op North Street manager Steve Smith and Helen Ogden, of Little Miracles. All prizes and cakes were donated by store staff, local businesses and members of the community – including Helen’s mother Nancy Taylor – who’d worked in the former North Street Co-op but left 44 years ago.
Steve said: “Nancy came along to help out. It’s really nice that someone from the community is still getting involved from that store in our fundraising.” The Ely dad added: “We try to get involved in our community as much as possible. “The great weather helped with the turnout but we have a great community that gets involved and I think they would have turned up anyway. I couldn’t thank them and the people from Little Miracles enough.”
So far this year the North Street branch has raised £1000 for good causes. Steve’s aim is to raise £2000 this year, half of which will go to local charities.
On May 29, he and his wife Angii and children Caiden, seven, and Finley, five, will take part in the Red Cross’s Red Shoe Walk at Grafham Water, together with North Street store team manager Michelle Martin. Each of the Co-Op’s 22 Cambridgeshire stores has promised to send two representatives along to take part.
Steve said: “The entry fee is £10 – so even without the sponsorship this will raise at least £440 for the Red Cross.” The North Street Co-op has many more fundraisers planned throughout the year, including a Father’s Day raffle in June. Steve said: “There’s some really exciting changes to the Burwell Co-op going forward.”
Watch this space…
