Girl, 12, fulfills supermarket dream

A 12-year-old girl has been given the chance to "work" at her favourite supermarket as a birthday treat.

Hope, who is non verbal and has a neurological condition, loves shopping at Asda in Chaucer Road, Sheffield, so the store arranged for her to don a uniform and have a go on the checkouts.

Mum Gemma said Asda was Hope's favourite place and her face lit up whenever she was there, so she asked managers how they could make her daughter's birthday more "Asda-y".

A store spokesperson said: "Even though she couldn't speak, her face said it all... colleagues had tears in their eyes and customers bought her gifts."

As well as a green staff T-shirt, Asda community champion Joan Martin got Hope a badge and lanyard for her first "shift", before giving her a birthday cake, card, goody bag and full-size shopping basket.

Gemma said: "She loves going there, everyone is so friendly.

"Hope even has an Asda till at home which is her favourite thing to play with."

She said she had bought lots of green balloons and banners for an Asda-themed party and the invitation for Hope to go on the checkouts with longtime staff member Lisa Houcher had "made her year".

"She had the time of her life and everyone was so nice to her... Lisa was really patient and engaging with Hope and I can't thank them enough for what they did," Gemma said.

Joan added it had been an "amazing morning".

Staff member Lisa, who has worked at the store for 13 years and has two children and five grandchildren herself, said: "Hope really enjoyed herself and she's a lovely girl, and to see her smile so much was really nice."

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