SAINSBURY'S is calling on customers to cast their votes and help a registered local charity receive a year’s worth of fundraising and awareness support.

From Wednesday, May 28, customers will be able to vote for their favourite local charity either instore or by visiting www.sainsburys.co.uk/localcharity.

The retailer’s Local Charity scheme is now in its sixth year and gives customers the chance to vote for their favourite local charity to be considered to receive a year’s worth of support from the Sainsbury's store at Springfield.

This year’s voting ends on Sunday, June 8.

After voting closes, a shortlist of nominations will be drawn up and the Springfield colleagues will then invite the three charities that they feel best fit the needs of the community into store to talk about how Sainsbury’s can support them.

The chosen charity will be selected based on the reasons given and the store will announce their chosen charity in July.

Over £4,750 was raised for The Stroke Club for mid Essex, which was Springfields store’s Local Charity partner between 2012 and 2013.

The store’s Local Charity partner last year was the Chelmsford Sea Cadets.

Steve Venters, the Sainsbury’s Springfield Store Manager said: "We’re looking forward to supporting a local charity which touches many of our customer and colleagues’ hearts.

"The scheme gives us the chance to make a real difference to important causes in the community and we hope our customers get behind this year’s voting stage and nominate their favourite local charity from 28th May."