Andy Davies, the ebullient manager of Marlborough’s Waitrose supermarket, who has returned to the store after six months working on a special company project in London, is playing Santa Claus to the town this Christmas.
He has revealed that Waitrose as a business is to divert the money normally spent on its Christmas advertising to increase the funding instead of local charities in November and December.
“This will allow Marlborough to split £3,000 per month in November and and again December between three charities a month instead of the usual £1,000 a month,” he told Marlborough News Online. “I hope you agree a great story for our community.”
“The local charities Waitrose are supporting in November are all food related — the OAPs Christmas lunch and food banks. We also have Clare Perry MP in at the store on December 1 when we run a food bank session asking customers to buy an extra tin and give it to the food bank team.”
“Next month we are supporting a homeless charity and a children’s charity.”
But there is a downside, which he describes as “my challenge”, he has told Marlborough Chamber of Commerce. “We had agreed to collect for the High Street Christmas lights display as we have done for every year for at least the past 10,” he says. “We agreed to support this before the new Waitrose business wide marketing strategy was released.”
“I feel uncomfortable we are putting the lights up against these charities and have decided this year not to support the Marlborough lights.”
“I would like to look for another charity where the money will make a real difference to those who are most at need at Christmas, fulfilling our business wide marketing strategy.”
To this end, he has asked the Chamber of Commerce to recommend a local charity that will have “a big impact on making those disadvantaged at Christmas feel a bit better.”
