SAINSBURY’S supermarket in Bradford on Avon has officially launched a partnership with its new Local Charity of the Year, Bloodwise.

Bloodwise was chosen by Sainsbury’s customers through a public vote in store and online in June. The charity will now receive a year’s worth of support through fundraising and awareness raising from the store.

Representatives from the charity joined Sainsbury’s colleagues to kick start the partnership by collecting donations within store and have already taken £1,200.

Peter White, charity fundraiser at Bloodwise, said: “Thank you to everyone who came to support us at Sainsbury’s Bradford on Avon over the weekend.

“We’re really excited to have been chosen as the store’s new Local Charity of the Year as the partnership will help us to raise the profile of the work we do in the local community.”

Store manager Mark Ogborne added: “We had a very successful launch for our new Local Charity of the Year, Bloodwise.

“I’d like to thank all of our customers for their support on the day and can’t wait to see how the partnership develops over the next year.”

The Local Charity of the Year scheme is now in its ninth year and has raised over £13 million to support local charities since 2009.