Flying off the shelves at Sainsbury’s

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Staff and shoppers at Sainsbury’s in Burpham have raised enough money to help the Surrey Air Ambulance potentially save three lives.

The store chose the life-saving helicopter as its Charity of the Year after a poll amongst customers at the Clay Lane store.

They raised a total of £4,526 from bucket collections, cake sales and a World Cup sweepstake amongst staff.

It costs £1.7m-a-year to keep the Air Ambulance flying and each mission costs between £1,500 and £2,000 so the sum raised could potentially save three lives.

Store Manager Mark Salmon said: “To help save one life is fantastic but to potentially save three is incredible. It really brings it home in terms of what a good cause it is.

“We’re delighted to support such a worthy cause and it’s obviously a popular charity. When talking to customers about it, they all related to it.

“Everyone seems to know a friend of a friend who has had cause to use it or witnessed it in action so it always goes down well with customers.”

Mark and Pharmacy Assistant Gillian Hinks visited the crew of the twin-engine MD902 helicopter at the Dunsfold base to hand over their cheque to Dr Roger Alcock and paramedic Neil Painter.

Surrey County Fundraiser Julie Jenkinson said: “I cannot thank Mark and his team enough for all their support. 

“They have been an absolute pleasure to work with and I’m really pleased that their hard work has produced such an amazing amount.”