Spill the beans for a worthy cause

Feb 5 2010 by Sharon Liptrott, Dumfries Standard Friday

STAFF at Annan Tesco are encouraging shoppers to spill the beans and raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy campaign.

A bath of beans is being prepared at the supermarket, which opened at Annan’s Watchhill in December, for deputy manager Alyson Russell.

Today at 1pm she will sit in the bean bath in full view of customers for the worthy cause.

The store’s community champion Lisa Key, who is organising fundraising events, said: “We are asking customers to donate £1 to buy a tin of beans.

“They can pour the beans in the bath themselves. And all the money raised will go to our Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

“Alison is a great sport to do this and we are hoping for a lot of support from the community.”

The staff have already held a sponsored leg wax which raised more than £150.

Shoppers looked on as checkout manager John Tuer and compliance manager Joe Riley, team leader Ryan Beattie and general assistant Rory Simmons, had their legs waxed by beauticians Faith Johnston and Sarah Tuer.

According to Lisa, who lives in Eaglesfield, the store is also keen to work with Annan residents to explore ways it can help local groups such as hospices, schools and sports clubs.

It has already made a number of donations and Lisa regularly goes into local nursing homes to organise activities for residents including bingo with small prizes provided by Tesco.

She said: “We are keen to engage with the community and do what we can. I held a meet and greet in store on Saturday and it went very well with queries on everything from bag-packing to us donating gifts for events and fundraising.”