Birmingham care home issues rallying call to shoppers

Published by kerri smith for Reach the People Charity in Housing and also in Communities

Customers and staff at a care home in Kings Heath are urging shoppers to give them their vote when they pop into a local Asda store to help them scoop a cash windfall.

Vicarage Road B care home in Kings Heath, which is run by Trident Reach the People Charity, is one of three local causes being promoted in the Heathfield Road store and is currently in first place to win top prize.

Every shopper who makes a purchase until the end of September is currently being invited to ‘vote’ for one of the three good causes, which have been nominated by customers or colleagues, by putting a token in the relevant box.

The other causes are a local scout group and elderly support group Karis Neighbour Scheme.

At the end of September the charity or group with the most tokens will receive a £100 donation from Asda, while the other two good causes will each receive £25.

Vicarage Road B provides accommodation and care for six residents with learning and physical disabilities.

It was nominated by an Asda colleague as part of the supermarket giant’s nationwide Community Life programme.

Every Asda store and depot has a Community Life Champion dedicated to supporting organisations within a one-mile radius of their local store. And Kings Heath’s Community Life Champion, Barbara Harris, was keen to support Vicarage Road B after seeing the work that it does.

Barbara said: “I was shown around Vicarage Road B and I was really impressed with what they do. I met some of their customers who were all very happy with the facilities and care that they receive. They do great work in the community and would be very deserving winners.”

Barbara said that the Kings Heath store was keen to involve customers in deciding which charities and local groups should be supported.

Barbara added: “Here at Asda we are always on the lookout for local groups, charities and good causes that we can support and the Trident Reach care home fitted the bill perfectly. We hope that through initiatives like this we can really make a difference to the areas and the local communities we serve.”

Trident Reach provides care, support and housing services for vulnerable people, helping them to live independently and reach their potential through the charity’s work within the community and residential services.

Head of Registered and Community Services at Trident Reach Dalvinder Kaur said: “We are very grateful indeed for the support we are being given by Asda. It is extremely encouraging to know that someone nominated us as a good cause in the local area and we are keeping our fingers crossed that we will win the support of shoppers over the next few weeks.”

Dalvinder commented: “The residents at Vicarage Road B don’t all communicate verbally and need alternative kinds of stimulation, so if we won the money we would like to purchase some more activity-based products, such as games, for that purpose.”

For more information about Trident Reach or to find out how you can support its work, contact 0121 226 5800.