Darren Huckerby, Lord Mayor Jenny Lay, store manager Keith Yandall and Wilkinson CEO Stuart Matchell open the new Wilkinson store in St Stephens st, Norwich. Photo by Simon Finlay

New Wilkinson store provides £1,500 boost for Norwich charities

Peter Walsh Thursday, September 22, 2011
1:44 PM

A new Norwich store has already proved to be a good neighbour by donating £1500 to good causes in the city to celebrate its opening day.

"We’re very pleased and grateful to this new business in the city making this donation to try to combat a city centre problem."

Sergeant Pete Sharples, from the City Centre Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

The Wilkinson home and kitchenware store was opened yesterday by former Norwich City star Darren Huckerby together with Lord Mayor Jenny Lay who cut the ribbon at the St Stephen’s Street site.

Store manager Keith Yandall presented £500 to three charities in the city after the opening which was also attended by Wilkinson chief executive Stuart Mitchell and town crier David Bullock.

A donation of £500 worth of Wilkinson vouchers, to purchase paint and cleaning products, was given to the Evening News’s Graffitibusters campaign to be used in clean-ups in the city.

The campaign was launched in a bid to try and combat the growing number of illegal graffiti tags which are blighting this fine city and is being supported by Norwich police, Central Norwich Citizens’ Forum, Norwich City Council and the Norwich City Centre Partnership.

Staff ready for the opening of the new Wilkinson store in St Stephens st, Norwich. Photo by Simon Finlay

Sergeant Pete Sharples, from the City Centre Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNT), accepted the vouchers on behalf of the Graffitibusters team.

He said: “It’s wonderful in these times of austerity. We’re very pleased and grateful to this new business in the city making this donation to try to combat a city centre problem and we will make good use of the very generous donation.”

Donations of £500 were also presented to the Darren Huckerby Trust, which supports local community groups and individuals in the area, and civic charity Big C, Norfolk and Waveney’s dedicated cancer charity.

The store, situated where the former Co-op once stood, also held a charity raffle to help raise funds for Age UK, its nominated charity of the year.

Mr Yandall said: “The opening day was a great success and I’m extremely proud of what the team has achieved. I would like to thank our guests, Darren and the Lord Mayor, for joining our celebrations and making the day extra special.

“We’re proud to be able to help a wide range of local charities and organisations with our donations and I’m looking forward to the store becoming a central part of the local community.”

As part of the store’s opening celebrations, a face painter will be on site tomorrow <SATURDAY> while there will be free popcorn outside from a traditional cart for shoppers.

To find out more about the Graffitibusters campaign visit www.eveningnews24.co.uk and click on campaigns.

Have you got a story for the campaign? Call reporter Peter Walsh on 01603 772436 or email peter.walsh@archant.co.uk

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9 comments

chebram71 - Just how do you think CCTV would protect somebody from being attacked? It may well record the incident , but that's all.

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Dick Turnip

Friday, September 23, 2011
valpy ward :- i'd rather be his than yours!!!! btw rather a pointless comment....hence the pointless reply.......

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FredJ

Friday, September 23, 2011
FredJ is Darren Huckerbys Mum...

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Valpy Word

Thursday, September 22, 2011
BTB DH is FAR better than any 4th div football club...he's a great player and he deserves to be 'all over" Norwcih the city...he's a great PR asset. Go Darren!!. Why don't you bet on him being in the 4th division then...unless you REALLY don't want to loose your money!!. He was unfairly treated by the football club....but he does a lot for charities....just by giving his name and time...what do YOU do for worthy causes?????.

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FredJ

Thursday, September 22, 2011
BTB you are clearly need of human interaction. Switch off your computer, go out and meet some real people. You appear to be living in a rather scary fantasy world for one at present.

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robotsthatcare

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Oh I see they did make a donation of £500 in vouchers, well that will be spent on the subway alone :)

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chebram71

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Graffiti has increased by several hundred percent in the city centre since EEN ran a story on the subject. If they are not convinced maybe they need to get a photographer to look at the St Stephens subway to prove my point. What you will also notice is there are warning signs saying CCTV is in operation, hello Norwich City Council there is no CCTV otherwise you would have caught the people in the subway putting their tag on the walls. Anyway on that subject if anyone is attacked in the subway as the council state CCTV is present and in reality is is not could the victim make a legal challenge to the council saying they were supposed to be protected? If there needs to be a graffiti clean up start it at the St Stephens subway, I am sure Wilkinsons can provide chemicals and the tools to blast it all away and also provide new paint?

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chebram71

Thursday, September 22, 2011
did marks and spencer donate as much? what was in the goody bags that the first 50 customers received?

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bookworm

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Funny Huckerby seams to be opening up all the new stores in norwich, ain't he got nothing better to do, like try and pay for a 4th division team, don't he get it , norwich fc don't want him anymore why does he keep hanging about !

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billythebookie

Thursday, September 22, 2011