Team members at the Wilkinson store in Ely are offering a helping hand to community groups and charities in the area who need extra support in 2014.

Whether the project benefits young people, families or the elderly, Wilko is appealing for people to apply for a donation from the store’s Helping Hands budget.

People living in East Cambs can apply to the store for a donation, Wilko products or team members’ time, as they are also keen to support neighbourhood developments by volunteering.

Trudy Perriam, Wilko store manager, said: “The Helping Hands scheme is all about supporting local projects and directly benefitting the lives of people who live and work close to our store.

“As a company, it’s great to be able to help local groups and charities by giving something back to the area. Our team members are ready to roll their sleeves up and give their time to worthy causes, plus we have a wide variety of products which we can donate.

“We’d like to hear from anyone who’s keen to make a difference in Ely, whether it’s a school that needs arts and crafts supplies or a dogs’ home that needs extra food and treats, we want to help.”

Helping Hands application forms can be collected from the store and once completed, forms should be returned to the store’s help desk. Successful applicants will be notified within three months of submission.