Brighton shoppers choose Hove sheltered housing charity for £1k donation

A charity providing sheltered housing in Hove has been given almost £1,000 by a Brighton supermarket.

The money was donated to Abbeyfield South Downs by the Community Matters scheme at Waitrose in Western Road, Brighton.

Abbeyfield South Downs was one of three charities to which customers voted to give money with green tokens during November and December.

The charity runs four sheltered homes in Hove. It has others in Eastbourne, Heathfield and St Leonards.

Malcolm Paris, the charity’s deputy chairman, said: “We are grateful to Waitrose partners who selected our charity to be part of the award scheme and to customers who voted for us.

“We will now be able to organise extra treats, including outings, for our residents this summer.”

Karen Leyland, the Community Matters champion for Waitrose at Brighton, said that staff, known as partners, chose three causes each month, from a list of nominations, to receive awards.

Normally £1,000 is divided between the three depending on votes from customers using green tokens.

But the Christmas total in stores across the country was boosted to £3,000 each when celebrity chefs Delia Smith and Heston Bloomenthal waived their fees for appearing in an advertising campaign.