Shoppers saw the official launch of the community fundraising project at Norwich's ASDA supermarket yesterday afternoon.

Broadland District Council chairman, Claudette Bannock, joined staff from the Hellesdon store to officially unveil the project and the causes it will raise funds for.

A 'Community Life' wall has been installed in the store's foyer, both to publicise community events organised by the ASDA staff and to give shoppers the chance to donate.

The three causes chosen are; Mile Cross meningitis battler Grace Matthews' fund, Mile Cross Primary School and the NANSA (Norfolk and Norwich Scope Association) Family Centre, on Woodcock Road.

The causes were chosen by customers filling out nomination forms in-store and now, through tokens given out at tills, customers can choose which cause is most deserving of a �200 donation.

Transparent containers as part of the Community Life display in the foyer are collecting the green plastic tokens to find a winner, with the other two causes receiving donations of �50 each.

The store's Community Life champion, Saffron King, said: 'Community life is about making the communities around our store better places to live and work for our colleagues and customers.

'Children and young people are our priority, we want ASDA to play a positive role in ensuring that every child fulfils their potential and has the opportunity to be the best they can.'

The project has already seen over �400 raised for the NANSA Family Centre, through a Valentine's event that saw children in the supermarket hunt for staff wearing red heart badges, ask them to be their Valentine, and the colleague would give them some sweets.

A raffle with several prizes, including a camera, �20 and �10 gift cards and 10 bunches of roses, also boosted the funds.

Firside Junior School, in Hellesdon, are entering a national ASDA competition to grow the biggest lettuce, using gro-sure challenge boxes and tools donated by its local supermarket.

While the fund for Grace Matthews - who lost both of her legs below the knee, all of her fingers and half of her thumb on her left hand and was left with half of the palm of her right hand after a severe case of meningitis last year - has been boosted by �800 by the ASDA staff.

Are you organising a community fundraising scheme? Contact Local Life editor David Freezer on 01603 772418 or david.freezer@archant.co.uk