Community champion chosen to represent Melksham in the USA

MELKSHAM Asda’s community life colleague, Lisa Jenkins, has been chosen to represent the town in the USA as part of Walmart Associates Week.

Lisa, who has been working in Asda for 12 months, is one of three employees from the Bristol region and 150 from the UK to be invited to Arkansas, USA, to take part in Walmart Associates Week.

Associates week is a week aimed at bringing together all the different Walmart teams and groups from across the world to enhance the way they work.

Lisa said, “I have worked as the community champion in Melksham for just 12 months, and could not be more excited about being chosen for this trip. The unknown is slightly nerve wracking but I know that once I have met the rest of the team, I will be racing to get on the plane. It’s crazy that 15,000 members of the Walmart family from across the world go, and little old me from little old Melksham has been chosen! 

“My role as community champion is designed to help Asda give back and support our local community, the people and the groups within it.

“I support fundraising efforts for local not-for-profit good causes and charities, either by providing a donation towards a raffle, refreshments or other items that help towards the day to day running of the group.

“We are really keen to make our local communities usable by everybody, so anything that involves replanting communal areas, painting of halls or other spaces, litter picking etc, I am also more than happy to support with. There is also the Asda Foundation, an amazing charity which aims to put back as much money into local communities as possible, from grassroots sports teams for the under 16s who maybe need new kit; I have recently donated £250 to Melksham Town Under 8s for new training jackets;  general community support for events that include everyone, we have donated £1,500 to the River and Food Festival this year;  Christmas parties for groups who may not normally have a Christmas meal, supporting the foodbank party this year with a donation of £917; and an elderly grant where we are able to support groups who tackle social isolation, and £1,000 was recently donated to Melksham Community Meals.

“If anyone would like to speak to me about any of the above, my email address is community_melksham@asda. co.uk. I would be more than happy to discuss the requirements and see what I can do to help – there are so many amazing groups in Melksham, many of which have no idea about what I and Asda can offer – hopefully this will change and I can get out there and meet even more fantastic people.”