by Alan Quick

DURING December the Crediton Tesco store at Wellparks opens its doors to a myriad of local groups and organisations to fundraise in its foyer.

Starting today, Friday, December 1, and running virtually every day, the store has booked in more than 30 predominately small local-based organisations to collect including five Primary School Choirs, the Lions Club, Age Concern, Crediton Town Band and the Crediton Playscheme, to mention but a few.

Store Manager, Simon Anbany, says he is proud of the store’s record of helping local groups by giving them an opportunity to interact with customers at the store.

He explained: “We are rated as one of the best Tesco stores in the South West for the community work that we do and our December charity month is a great example of why that is true.

“We work hard to involve the types of small local fundraisers that don’t always get a chance to meet with so many people and both collect and talk about the work that they do in our community.

“We always try to get some school choirs to visit as our customers love hearing the children’s voices throughout the store. It creates the perfect Christmas atmosphere.”

The organisations range from children’s groups to animal welfare organisations to groups that will be collecting on behalf of others, for example the towns Rotary clubs will be collecting for their planned dinner for the towns elderly as well as for the Devon Air Ambulance Trust later in the month.

The Crediton Tesco store community champion, Andrew Drayton, says he is delighted so many groups get the chance to collect for their organisations.

He explained: “Our Charity Month planning starts earlier and earlier each year it seems, as now most local groups know what we are trying to do and relish the chance to be involved. Our customers also appreciate the local community feel that we try to cultivate and some of the amounts raised by groups last year was staggering.”

Simon agreed, adding: “I’d like to take the opportunity to thank in advance the customers and Tesco colleagues that seem to give so generously year-after-year. Having such a local focus really pays off for those that are here during the month.

“Last year it’s estimated that, in total, the local groups raised more than £8,000 between them, a figure that the community in and around Crediton can be truly proud of.”

The planned collection rota (but which may be subject to change) is: December 1 and 2 - Food Collection, 3 and 4 - Rotary Clubs for the Pensioners Christmas Lunch, 5 - Samaritans, 6 - FORCE Cancer Charity, 7 - CLIC, 8-9-10 - Tesco Charity Partners - British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK, 11 - Crediton Singers Concert Tickets for Devon Young Carers, 12 - Dog Rescue, 13 - The Amber Foundation, 14 (am) - Greyhound Trust, 14 (pm) - Cheriton Fitzpaine Choir, 14 (eve) - Lapford Scouts, 15 - Hospice UK, 16 - Crediton Town Band - 9am to 11am, 16 - ELF, 17- Blue Cross, 18 - Age Concern, 19 (am) Tedburn St Mary Choir, 19 (pm) Yeoford Choir, 20 (am) - North Dartmoor Rescue, 20 (pm) - Hayward’s Choir, 21 (am) Crediton Town Band, 21 (pm) Crediton Community Transport, 22 - Crediton Lions Club, 22 (eve) - Crediton Guides, 23 - Crediton Playscheme, 24 - Rotary Clubs on behalf of Devon Air Ambulance Trust, 27 and 28 - CLAPA, 29 - The Turning Tides Organisation, 30 and 31 - RNLI.