Customers called to back Waterlooville store's effort to help needy children

The town’s DFS branch, in Wellington Retail Park, is kicking off a summer of fundraising in aid of BBC Children in Need – and is asking customers to back the drive.

It comes after the shop helped to raise £750,000 this year.

And now staff members are again putting their fundraising hats on with their Give Me Five promotion.

The effort encourages customers to enter a competition for £5 when they order with DFS, the proceeds of which go to BBC Children in Need.

In return, customers are entered into a monthly prize draw to win their entire order for free.

In the past, DFS workers have tackled cycles, trekked Britain’s three tallest peaks with a sofa on their back and battled freezing British waters on rafts.

But this year, store manager Chris Potter hopes the team will surpass itself.

He said: ‘Helping to support BBC Children in Need is a cause that resonates with all our employees and it’s great to know that the money we continue to raise makes a huge difference to the lives of the children in Waterlooville.’

BBC Children in Need backs projects that work with children and young people who are affected by a range of issues, from homelessness and neglect to deprivation and poverty or young people who are battling a serious illness or bereavement.

In the last year alone, some 480,000 young people in the UK have been helped by the campaign.