TWO Black Country Sainsbury’s supermarkets have announced the charities they are set to support throughout the next year.

Following an online and in-store customer vote, the company’s Amblecote and Merry Hill stores have announced that Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Dudley Salvation Army will respectively be their new local charity partners for the next 12 months.

To celebrate the announcement, a launch day will take place at the two Dudley borough stores on Friday, August 5.

The store team at Amblecote will be fundraising for hearing dogs by holding an in-store tombola from 10am, with other activities to be announced on the store’s noticeboard.

Staff at Amblecote are also looking forward to a visit from local speaker Tom Kane, and his hearing dog Harley, on Tuesday, August 2.

Vicky Ryan, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People’s community fundraising manager, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who voted for us. Becoming Sainsbury’s Amblecote ‘local charity of the year’ will make a huge difference to our charity.

“We’re looking forward to the partnership and working closely with the colleagues at the Amblecote store.”

Kirsty Rose, Amblecote store manager, added: “I’d like to say congratulations to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. It’s great to be working with a new charity this year. My colleagues are really excited about the partnership.”

Last year, generous shoppers at Sainsbury’s Merry Hill store raised £3,112.90 for Dudley Alzheimer’s Society following their year-long partnership.

Yvonne Artiss, PR ambassador, said: “We have really enjoyed working with The Alzheimer’s Society as our local charity of the year.

“It is a great cause and I would like to thank all of our colleagues and customers who have supported the charity.”

The store will now support Dudley Salvation Army as part of the nationwide charity scheme which is now in its eighth year having raised over £11 million for causes across the UK.