A year-long fundraising partnership between a supermarket and a charity kicked off yesterday with a launch party.

Employees from Sainsbury’s Chadwell Heath and members of the Redbridge branch of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society met for lunch and to discuss their plans for the next 12 months.

Councillors Alan Weinberg, Neil Zammett and Anne Sachs also came along to the event, held at the charity’s home in the Marjorie Collins Centre, in Grove Road, Chadwell Heath.

Tom Murtagh, the centre’s co-ordinator, said: “The lunch went really well. It was a good chance for our members to meet some of the employees for the store that we will be working with over the coming year.

“It was also a good way to show our new colleagues around the centre and tell them about the work we do for people affected by MS.”

The fundraising will begin with a collection in the supermarket at the end of this month and an information desk will be set up so shoppers can find out more about MS.

Tom added: “All the employees from Sainsbury’s we have met so far have been very keen to get started, so I think we have an exciting year ahead of us!”