Ninety-five-year-old great-great grandad Norman Murcutt loves the friendly help he gets every week from Wendy Farnworth at our Llangefni store on Anglesey – and says "she couldn’t do more for me".
Norman, who was a navigator and worked in reconnaissance in the RAF in the Second World War, makes a beeline for Wendy’s checkout whenever he’s in the store. Wendy asks Norman to take a seat while she scans and packs his shopping for him, before loading it into his car.
He said: "She's so pleasant – a really nice person and very, very helpful.”
Norman told his granddaughter Sam how much he appreciates Wendy’s help and she was so touched she emailed the store to say: “I have never met Wendy but I wanted to let her know how much of a difference her small act of kindness has made to my grandfather."
Norman says he really looks forward to seeing Wendy every week, and has needed a little extra help with his shopping after two recent falls.
He said: "I'm afraid my legs have gone, so Wendy tells me to sit down, packs my shopping and puts them in the trolley. She then takes my shopping to the car.
"While she helps me, we have a nice chat about our families.
"I didn't know that Sam had written in to thank her for everything she does for me, but I think it's absolutely right that she's given recognition for it."
Sam wrote: "I just wanted to email you to say how amazing the service has been to my 95 year old grandfather who goes to Llangefni Asda weekly shop.
"We are based in South Wales but we take a visit up to North Wales to touch base now and again. We visited him yesterday as he has not been well. His only real outing every week is to Asda as he gets very tired.
"Upon our visit he spoke very fondly of Llangefni Asda especially a lady called Wendy. He said he had been for his usual weekly shop but wasn’t feeling the best that day. When he was in the queue Wendy at the checkout noticed and told him to take a seat where she packed all his shopping for him. She then helped him to the car with his shopping.
"I can’t tell you how much this small amount of kindness made such a difference. He always now says hello to Wendy and she always helps him with the packing.
"I have never met Wendy but I wanted to let her know how much of a difference her small act of kindness has made to my grandfather."
After the war Norman became a photographer, then owned a plastics company before retiring. He's been widowed twice, and lives in Llangefni with his son David. He has nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
His daughter Sandra Houghton also lives nearby and says Norman was well enough to shop on his own until recently, but now her husband Colin goes with him.
She said: "Dad's shopped in Asda for many years, but he's now very frail.
"Wendy's been extremely helpful, particularly recently when he's had some health problems. She's absolutely brilliant – she does everything for him. It's a great example of real care and it's a joy for us to have Wendy helping dad.
"He thinks Wendy is marvellous and tells everyone about her, including Sam, and that's obviously what prompted her to write in praising her.
"If dad visits the store and Wendy isn't there, he'll ask where she is!
"Wendy's not just like that with my dad, she's so caring with lots of other customers. It's very rare for someone to be so thoughtful and helpful.
Wendy, who's worked on the checkouts at the store for seven years, said: "Norman has been coming in for about five or six years and I always keep an eye out for him. He's a very friendly guy and tells me he really likes his Asda visits as they get him out of the house.
"He's recently had to use a wheelchair so I've started to give him more and more help with his shopping.
"It was lovely to read the email from his granddaughter – it's really nice to be recognised. I always look forward to Norman's visits."
Store manager Russell Frankland said: "Norman is a very well-loved and well-known customer and his visits here help him remain an active part of the community.
"Wendy has been superb with him. We have lot of senior customers who require our help, and everybody here will stop what they're doing to help them which is fantastic. I'm proud of them."
