STAFF at the Trowbridge Sainsbury’s have launched the supermarket’s fundraising effort for the Trowbridge branch of the Bath Cancer Unit Support Group.

The store has chosen the Trowbridge branch of the BCUSG as its charity of the year for 2015-2016 and will be holding a number of fundraising events, as well as having collection boxes in the supermarket for shoppers to donate.

Since launching in 1988, the Trowbridge branch has raised over £300,000 to help cancer care facilities at Bath's Royal United Hospital and it is currently aiming to raise the remaining funds for the Positron Scanner Appeal.

The Bath Cancer Unit Support Group set out to raise £1.2m for the Positron Scanner, which will transform the treatment of certain cancers at the RUH, with the total already surpassing £1m.

Chairman of the Trowbridge branch Tino Polledri said: “We are delighted that Sainsbury’s are supporting us for the last leg of the scanner appeal and it is a fantastic boost.

“They had other requests as well so it is great that they decided to choose us, because it is the first time we have been supported by a national chain. The scanner appeal is probably about £100k short and we expect to get there in the next year.

“The work has already started on the scanner and it will make a great difference for the patients in Bath and all round this area as it means they won’t have to travel as far as they would have done previously.

“We have quite a lot planned for this year and with the help of staff at Sainsbury’s, we should be able to have another good year. We are now gearing up towards our Christmas tree event again at The Shires and Castle Place.”

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/BathCancerUnitSupportGroupTrowbridgeBranch