Cromer supermarket rings up trolley good total for local good causes
Cromer Junior School pupils help head teacher Whil de Neve and Simon Clipsom (left) load up shoe boxes filled with toiletries and treats for needy people in Eastern Europe as part of a collection co-ordinated by Mr Clipsom in his role as community champion at Morrisons, Cromer. Photo: KAREN BETHELL - Credit: Archant
Staff and customers at Morrisons supermarket, Cromer, have raised just over £76,000 for local good causes, supporting community projects ranging from school breakfast clubs and animal sancturaries, to the town's Christmas lights and carnival.
Morrisons Cromer community champion handing over the keys to a new minibus to North Norfolk Community Transport chief executive Claire Abbs. The vehicle was paid for with a £35,000 grant from the Morrisons Foundation charity.Photo: KAREN BETHELL - Credit: Archant
Simon Clipsom, who, since taking over as the Cromer Road store's community champion in 2013, has helped raise around £300,000, has been totting up the end of year totals.
'I've been absolutely astounded by people's generosity,' he said. 'The amazing help and support we have had from the local and wider community is just incredible.'
Morrisons Cromer community champion handing over the keys to a new minibus to North Norfolk Community Transport chief executive Claire Abbs. The vehicle was paid for with a £35,000 grant from the Morrisons Foundation charity.Photo: KAREN BETHELL - Credit: Archant
The £76,040 total includes donations to breakfast clubs at Cromer Junior School and Northrepps Primary, which both receive weekly Morrisons vouchers to spend on bread, cereal, fruit and milk.
The store has also given cash to Mundesley Scouts for car washing equipment, filled 300 shoeboxes with gifts for needy families in Eastern Europe, and supported north Norfolk groups ranging from village halls at Felbrigg and Aylmerton, to Holt Youth Project, Cromer Academy and North Walsham Guides.
Morrisons community champion Simon Clipsom delivers a breakfast club hamper to Northrepps Primary School head teacher Angela Hamilton and pupils.Photo: KAREN BETHELL - Credit: Archant
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Instore collections by good causes including Cromer Royal British Legion and Happisburgh and Cromer Coastwatch groups have raised more than £5,000, while the 'icing on the cake' was a £35,000 grant Mr Clipsom helped secure from the Morrison's Foundation charity.
The cash was used to buy a new minibus for North Norfolk Community Transport, which aims to fill the gaps left by conventional public transport by providing accessible minibus travel to college students and community groups, as well as running a Dial a Ride service offering door to door transport to elderly and isolated people across the area.
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Mr Clipsom, who devotes many hours of his free time to supporting local good causes, also received £200 in match funding from Morrisons after running a 50th birthday Facebook fundraiser in aid of the store's chosen charity, Clic Sargent, which supports children and young people with cancer.
'The store has been breaking records and raised an additional £2,000 in December alone,' he said. 'I would just like to let everyone who has supported me that they are amazing and, even though times are tough, people surprise me every time by donating more than the previous year.'
