Tmara Senior – who's been blind since birth – has been shopping at our Dewsbury store every week for the last 10 years and says colleagues like Leigh Wale who help her are like family.
Leigh helps Tmara round the store, passing her items so she can feel the shape, and pointing out special offers. The pair love having a laugh and a joke together and have become good friends.
Tmara, whose husband Wayne is also blind, said: "If it wasn't for the team at Asda I wouldn't be able to do my shopping. The assisted shopping they offer is brilliant. Coming to Asda gives me independence and I like the social interaction I get from coming into the store rather than doing it online.
"I push the trolley and Leigh steers it down the aisles I want to go down. When we have to turn round, Leigh says its time for a twirl!
"I don't have a list; it's in my head. But I do tend to get the same things when I shop. We have a bit of a route. We always go to sandwiches then coleslaw first.
"I really like the Asda flatbread margherita pizzas, but they have to be margherita, and my husband loves his spaghetti hoops.
"Leigh will often pass me the items first so I can feel the shape. When we are getting things like bread, Leigh always tells me what the sell-by-date is so I can work out in my head if I'm going to use it in that time."
Tmara, who's 34, has got to know lots of colleagues at the store during her visits – and they love going out of their way to help her.
She said: "I know a lot of the staff here and I know them by their voices. Someone will shout out to me and I'll know who it is. It's like one big family here."
Tmara urged anyone with a disability who struggles with their shopping to get in touch with their local Asda store.
"Just contact them; they will be happy to help," she said.
Leigh, who's worked at the store for 14 years, says she loves helping Tmara on her weekly shops.
She said: "We always have a really good natter and a good laugh when we go round.
"Tmara gets a taxi to us, but she always phones us up before hand to tell us she is on her way. When I get the call from customer services I go down to greet her. When we do the shopping we do usually pick up the same items but I always point out all the offers we have. If Tmara could not come in for some reason I'd be able to do her shop from memory!
"Tmara knows all the colleagues by their voices! Someone will shout out her name and Tmara will reply 'hello Kelly'. She amazes me."
Tmara was born in Bermuda and moved to the UK in 2004. She loves music and has recently been to Olly Murs and Take That concerts.
Leigh said: "Tmara's a bit of a character and she loves her karaoke. I've even had her singing at the tills!"
Store manager Tom Parker said: "In a world where society is often not very kind to everyone, it's nice that we can offer this service. All that we are doing is trying to make a difference.
"I'm very proud of what Leigh and her colleagues do. Leigh totally puts Tmara at ease. You always see them in the store having a laugh and a joke together."
Tmara, who recently gained an Open University degree in Human and Social Care, is a keen member of the Streetbikes club where our Dewsbury store's community champion Sharon Kingswood helps out. The club was recently awarded an Asda Foundation grant of £12,000.
Sharon said: "Tmara is such a lovely lady and very independent. We all love seeing her in our store."
