Healthy eating charity receives Asda Foundation grant to renovate cafe

Our Coleraine store's wonderful community champion Sheila Palmer has retired after more than a decade working with local schools, charities and good causes. One of her last projects for Asda was to present a cheque for £21,550 to a local charity which is teaching people about healthy eating.

Sheila regularly volunteered with Building Ballysally Together, a charity teaching people how to grow and cook their own fresh produce – and serving them up in their cafe. They've just renovated the cafe and the grant from the Asda Foundation means the charity can pay for new furniture, carpets and decorations.

She said: “Well done to Building Ballysally Together for all the hard work they have put into renovating the café – it’s going to be a fantastic resource for the local community!

"As I am retiring from my role as community champion after 12 years, this donation has extra significance. It represents what has made my work so worthwhile over the past years, and I know the cafe will continue to transform attitudes and lives through its hard working and dedicated volunteers and staff."

Adrian Eakin from the group said: "A special thank you to Sheila, who regularly came to visit us to offer her help and support.

"Thanks to the support from Sheila and the Asda Foundation, we are able to purchase furnishings, carpets and decorations for the building, and make it a space where local people really want to meet and spend time."