Anniversary party for Waitrose held in Bridport

The scheme celebrated 10 years in October and has enabled Waitrose and Partners to donate more than £30million to around 100,000 good causes since 2008.

Since opening in 2009, the Waitrose shop in Bridport has joined the scheme and donated more than £114,000 to around 300 good causes in and around Bridport, including children’s charities, support groups and volunteer-run organisations.

During its birthday month October, Pilsdon Community Christmas Lunch, Powerstock Primary School forest school and Friends of Mountjoy School were put forward to receive a share of £1,000.

The scheme involves customers being given a green token at the checkout which they then place in one of three boxes representing a charity. At the end of the month, £1,000 is shared amongst them as a proportion of the number of tokens they have received.

A number of the charities and community groups in and around Bridport, which have received donations as part of the supermarket’s scheme, joined the shop’s partners on October 16th for a special party at the Bridport Literary and Scientific Institute (LSI) to mark the anniversary.

Neil Scorey, partner and branch manager, said: “It’s fantastic to celebrate our community matters scheme by highlighting three of Bridport’s wonderful charities and community groups in our October vote.

“We are very proud to be able to play our part in the local community and support those causes that matter most to local people. We look forward to helping many more in the coming years.”

Waitrose also provides staff volunteering hours each year. This has seen staff volunteering at events such as the Melplash Show, the Charmouth Challenge and supporting events like the Churches Together Christmas lunch, which is for people who are otherwise on their own during the Christmas period.

Those interested in nominating a cause for the Community Matters scheme can pick up a nomination form in store.