REDDITCH'S MP, the mayor, and a 10-year-old pupil from the town bagged the honour of officially unveiling the new-look Sainsbury’s store on Wednesday, November 26

Marcie Flemming, a year six pupil at Ridgeway Middle School, was given the chance to open the store alongside Karen Lumley MP and mayor Pat Witherspoon after being announced as the overall winner of Sainsbury’s Bag for Life design competition – a contest that the supermarket threw open to three schools in the area.

Tim Smedley, store manager, said: “We had hundreds of entries and the standard was really high but it was Marcie’s bright design that really caught the eye of the judges. Her design has been immortalised on a limited-edition Bag for Life that we’ve had made to mark the launch of the new-look store, so customers will be able to enjoy Marcie’s art for years to come.

"It was a pleasure to present her with a framed bag of her winning design plus a £50 Sainsbury’s gift card – I hope she has fun spending it!”

MP Karen Lumley said: "I am delighted to be able to open the newly refurbished Sainsbury’s store, which is an important investment in this area. It is always a pleasure to pop in to see the friendly staff. I’m eager to see how the store has changed and I’m especially looking forward to seeing the new clothes range."

Marcie’s brother, 12 year old Jacob, also from Ridgeway Middle School, was runner up and was awarded a £25 Sainsbury’s gift card. Sainsbury’s also presented the school with a bundle of Active Kids equipment.

Following the completion of the extension and refurbishment project, customers are now able to enjoy an improved layout and facilities, including a brand new single storey extension accommodating a customer restaurant, toilets and a new Explore Learning centre offering tailored English and maths tuition for five to 14 year olds. Sainsbury’s has also replaced old, inefficient equipment with energy efficient alternatives which are kinder to the environment and there have been improvements to the car park to make it easier for drivers and pedestrians to use.

The Redditch store is open 7am - 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am – 4pm on Sunday. For more information, visit sainsburys.co.uk.