STAFF at a supermarket have raised more than £3,500 for a local charity trying to equip a sensory centre for people with disabilities.

Sainsbury’s Northallerton raised the money for the Pendragon Community Trust by hosting events throughout the year, including a bike ride, tombolas, raffles, a car boot sale and donation buckets.

The money was presented by staff earlier this month.

Pendragon’s development manager, Julia Downes, said the money will be put towards the multi-sensory centre on the Omega Business Village in Northallerton.

Work on creating the much-needed sensory centre began earlier this year, after 13 years of planning and fundraising by the trust.

The centre will be a resource for people of all ages with disabilities and their families and will offer a wide range of facilities, including music therapy, sensory exploration and carers’ support groups. In addition to a main multi-sensory space, there will be a smaller room for one-to-one work, a giant slide, interactive ball pool and small cafe area. The centre will have full changing facilities and hoisting.

Julia Downes said: “The centre will create a safe, developmental and fun environment for people with learning disabilities and their families.

“The building works have now been completed at the centre and we are still fund raising for the specialist equipment that we need.”

Anyone who can help with further fundraising for the project can contact Julia Downes on; Julia.downes@pendragon-ct.org.