Community bookshop at Tesco Extra Burnley raises £1,218 for Age UK Lancashire

The scheme came after Tesco Extra Burnley set up a community bookshop with pre-loved books donated by customers and colleagues.

Customers gave cash donations in exchange for the books – and an impressive £1,218 was raised for Age UK Lancashire, enabling it to purchase new projector and audio equipment for Walton Lane Day Club and Community Centre.

The equipment will be used to tackle loneliness among older people who have been in Covid-19 isolation over the past two years.

One of those behind the store’s scheme was Billie-Jean Horne, community champion at Tesco Extra Burnley, whose efforts were praised by Age UK Lancashire.

Nicole Morgan, service manager at Age UK Lancashire, said: “The team at Tesco has provided us with the opportunity to upgrade our sound system and projector. Amazingly, they raised over £1,000 to help us achieve our goal. This will allow us to open doors for our older members to access historic music and footage they may never have thought they would experience.

“The new equipment has enabled us to create new activities for our members, which allows us to offer more diverse experiences for each individual.

“Billie in particular was so helpful throughout the process; she regularly kept me updated and attended our open day to share the amazing work she does with her book club donations.”

As well as historic music and film, the new equipment can be used for activities such as bingo, karaoke, musical recall sessions, digital inclusion projects, display pictures and artwork, visual and audio stimulation, reminiscence footage from various festivals and the Queen's Jubilee.

Billie-Jean said: “I think personally that we will be making such a difference to so many lives with the projector screen and all the activities that it will be used for. It will ensure everyone is included and will be a great tool to keep everyone engaged with what is going on around them.”

The bookshop has been in operation for many years. This year alone it has raised a combined £2,968 for local charities, including Cinnamon Trust, Pendle Dogs, Not So Crafty and Curry on the Street.