Morrisons in Bulwell is helping spread some national cheer through sunflowers

Morrisons is giving away 25 million sunflower seeds to customers this week in an effort to spread hope and lift the spirits of the nation.
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The supermarket giant, which has a store in Bulwell, will be offering seeds to customers in packs of ten by checkout colleagues after they have finished their shopping and included within Morrisons online shopping orders.

Morrisons community champions will also be working with schools, care homes and community groups to distribute the packs and plant the seeds in their local areas.

Rose Morgan, community campion at Morrisons’ Peckham store, came up with the idea to help customers plant hope for a brighter future as lockdown restrictions start to ease.

Morrisons stores will be working with schools, care homes and community groups to distribute the packs and plant the seeds in their local areas. Photo: Mikael BuckMorrisons stores will be working with schools, care homes and community groups to distribute the packs and plant the seeds in their local areas. Photo: Mikael Buck
Morrisons stores will be working with schools, care homes and community groups to distribute the packs and plant the seeds in their local areas. Photo: Mikael Buck

Rose said: “Everyone is emerging from lockdown in different ways and I wanted to give my customers fresh hope and food for the heart by putting smiles on as many faces as possible.

"I had the idea of using sunflower seeds to represent this new beginning and emailed David Potts, our chief executive, to tell him we’d be giving some away in our store in Peckham.

"I’m so happy he liked the idea and am very proud that it will now be taking place in all Morrisons stores.”

Morrisons is giving away the 2.5 million packets of sunflower seeds to customers in all 497 stores from today (Monday), including Bulwell.

They should be planted in a 6-inch-diameter pot at a depth of half an inch and will begin to sprout in two to five days.

David Potts, said: “This has been a very difficult year for our country and this winter has seemed especially dark and tough.

"So as spring arrives, and with Covid seemingly in retreat, we want to help celebrate the growing sense of national optimism by planting these sunflowers across the UK, representing the brighter and lighter times of hope ahead.”

To continue to spread messages of hope, Morrisons community champions have also launched the ‘Little Sunshine’ award - to recognise those who have gone above and beyond in their local community throughout the pandemic.

All Morrisons stores will deliver ‘Little Sunshine’ certificates and gifts to hundreds of children nationwide who have been nominated for their contribution to supporting the local community through the pandemic.