CUSTOMERS at a Widnes garden centre have helped to raise more than £5,000 by rounding up the price of their shopping.

Notcutts Rivendell Garden Centre in Widnes was one of 11 Notcutts Garden Centres nationwide who took part in the project in aid of The Royal British Legion in November.

The total was raised using Pennies, the digital charity box.

It is a micro-donation scheme where customers have the option of rounding up their purchase at the till with the difference going to charity.

Notcutts Rivendell Garden Centre contributed over £640 towards the fundraising total.

Notcutts chose to support The Royal British Legion, the UK’s leading armed forces charity, in recognition of 100 years since the end of The First World War.

The money raised will go towards helping today’s armed forces communities, who need support in a range of issues including financial support, mobility problems and housing.

Kath Mitchell, general manager at Notcutts Ashton Park Garden Centre in Greater Manchester, met with volunteers and staff members at The Royal British Legion’s pop-in centre in Manchester on Friday, February 1 to celebrate the donation of £5,441.48.

Chris Coward, operations and visual merchandising director at Notcutts, said: "The Royal British Legion does incredible work to help people in very difficult circumstances across the country.

"It’s been fantastic to see all the pennies add up to support such a great cause."

Ben France, head of corporate partnerships at The Royal British Legion, said: "A big thank you to Notcutts for fundraising for us during the month of November, which marked the centenary of the end of the First World War.

"Notcutts has been a very valued Pennies partner, especially in such a poignant year for the charity."