Big Tea Party 2005
465 Sainsbury's promoted Home-Start and raised money for the charity between 7 and 21 September. And some stores joined forces with their local Home-Start scheme for a little added extra.
Leicester (left): Sainsbury's staff in Belgrave Road, Leicester stand smiling under the new Home-Start banners.
Shrewsbury: After doing a display and collecting money in their local Sainsbury's store, Home-Start Shrewsbury got an extremely pleasant surprise. They had also managed to recruit 21 new volunteers to work with local families. They have had to run simultaneous training courses to cope with the flood of help. And for the first time ever they didn't have to spend any money or time doing their annual Autumn recruitment drive.
Lisburn: Sainsbury's Sprucefield held a tea party in its cafe. Home-Start volunteers packed customers bags on 7 and 8 September.
East Belfast: volunteers from many Home-Start schemes joined forces to pack bags for Sainsbury's customers on 15 and 16 September. The Sainsbury's store manager organised face painting and balloons for customers' children (below).
Amongst other places, bag packing and collecting with tins also took place in Loughborough, Lincoln, Nottingham (Arnold), Mansfield, Barnet, Armagh and Dungannon, and Herefordshire.
Awareness raising events and displays took place in Wellingborough, Nottingham, Chadwell Heath and other stores across the UK.
Slough: As well as serving breakfast to raise money at Sainsbury's Taplow, the Home-Start Slough team spread the word about their family support work to Sainsbury's customers. And in true fundraising tradition, members of Sainsbury's staff also endured a sponsored head shave in aid of the charity.
Salford: Home-Start volunteers bag packed for local Sainsbury's customers and raised £920.19 in just two days. Celebrities were spotted (Sue Nicholls who plays Audrey Roberts in Coronation Street, and was Mrs Popoff in Rent-a-Ghost as well as other Corononation Street cast members 'Dev' and 'Alan Bradley'). The local MP, Hazel Blears, made a donation. Local councillors were lobbied and have gone off to address local funding issues for Home-Start Salford. And a new Home-Start volunteer was recruited. The scheme also formed "a lovely relationship with the staff of Sainbury's, all of whom were extremely helpful and friendly"
Sandwell: Home-Start Sandwell's own tea party was held in the Sainsbury's store's conference room. Volunteers ran a community shop in Sainsbury's on 16 September, and packed bags for customers on 14 and 15 September.
Holborn, London: Sainsbury's head office will also be raised money and awareness amongst their staff and visitors during the two week campaign.
