WOKINGHAM BOROUGH’S first Aldi is due to open next Thursday – with a visit from an Olympic rower Etienne Stott.
The gold medal winner will be joined by pupils from Beechwood Primary School to cut the ribbon to the new store at 8am.
And he’s not the only special guest: Chase, a character from popular children’s TV show, PAW Patrol, will be taking a break from his role as a police and traffic cop dog to help celebrate a special line of Paw Patrol products, which will be available in the new branch
The store, which has been built in Suttons Business Park in Earley, will have a host of special offers to mark its opening.
The first 30 shoppers to arrive on the morning will receive a complimentary bag full of fruit and vegetables from Aldi’s Super 6 range as part of the store’s Get Set to Eat Fresh initiative, which encourages children aged 5-14 to develop their understanding and love of fresh, healthy food.
WATCH: Reader’s amazing footage of the new Aldi being built
And following the opening celebrations, Mr Stott – who won Gold at the 2012 London Olympic Games in the men’s eight rowing event – will deliver an assembly to pupils at the school on the benefits of healthy eating, exercise and the importance of cooking with fresh ingredients.
The rower said: “Maintaining a healthy diet is vital for me to perform at the top level and Aldi’s wide range of fresh produce makes it so easy to whip up some tasty meals, packed full of essential nutrients and vitamins. As part of Aldi’s partnership with Team GB, I receive vouchers which allow me to stock up on great quality fruit and vegetables in store.
“I can’t wait to meet the kids at Beechwood Primary. Hopefully I can inspire them to try a healthy, balanced diet and maybe I’ll discover future Team GB stars.”
Store Manager Craig Breadmore added: “It’s shaping up to be an exciting morning at the store opening. We’re really looking forward to hosting Etienne and the children from Beechwood Primary and introducing local shoppers to some amazing opening week offers.”
The new store will offer a range of British produce and is more than 1,254 sq m of retail space. It has 121 car parking bays and will employ 25 people: it currently has a number of vacancies including Deputy Store Manager, Store Assistants and an Apprentice
Mr Breadmore joined Aldi back in 2014 and has said he had received comprehensive training and management experience throughout his time with the business.
“We’ve got the makings of a fantastic team in place to help run the store and deliver the excellent customer service our shoppers deserve. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to manage the Earley store,” he said. “The team and I are really looking forward to welcoming customers through the doors in the coming weeks and months.”
A Costa Coffee drive through has also opened in the same retail park.
An article in last Thursday’s Wokingham Paper said that Team GB middleweight Anthony Ogogo was opening the store. Sadly, Mr Ogogo is unable to attend but Aldi has arranged for Mr Stott to perform the honours instead.
