Leamington supermarket customers help raise money for night shelter with Christmas appeal

Morrisons held a ‘giving tree’ in aid of the LWS Night Shelter last Christmas.

Shoppers were able to donate £1, £2 or £5, which all would all go to the shelter.

Previously, the supermarket raised money for the Chase Meadow community centre and the customers raised £1,100.

All the money went towards the centre to help families in the community over Christmas.

This time around, Alex Pearson, the store’s community champion, chose the LWS Night Shelter for the giving tree. The store, which does a lot of work with the shelter, wanted to raise as much money from the giving tree as possible.

Thanks to customer donations, £1,622 was raised for the charity, which will support the team in purchasing food and items they are in need of to help the clients at the shelter.

Susan who helps run the shelter said: "We are so thankful for all the money raised at Christmas.

"We can now purchase more food and items which we are in need of.

"Thank you to everyone who purchased a bauble and thank you Morrisons for picking us this year for the giving tree."

The Morrisons store also had the Mayor of Leamington Nick Wilkins come in to help raise the profile of the tree as well as Susan from the shelter.

Alex Pearson said: "We are always blown away with our generous customer donations.

"Due to the cost of living I was expecting us to get to £1,000 but our amazing customers really supported our giving tree and helped a lot of people by donating money to their shopping.

"With all the work we do with the shelter it was great to have them as our giving tree recipients.

"I always say it but our shoppers are just fantastic and so kind and really bring the community feel to our store.”

Morrisons have given the shelter the money raised so they can spend it on items it needs.

The LWS Night Shelter also recently moved into its new home at Radford road church in Leamington.