JOHN Lewis today named the community groups it will support during its first months in Chester.

The chain – which is to open its home branch on Greyhound Retail Park later this month – will split £3,000 between three local causes as part of its Community Matters scheme.

The first organisations to benefit will be Nicola’s Fund, Business Action on Homelessness and Blacon Community Trust.

Branch manager Mark Blundell said: “The first three causes we have chosen to support have been selected by John Lewis at home Chester Partners.

“As our Partners are members of the local community, it’s fantastic that we can support causes that really matter to them and I hope that as a business we can help make a difference within Chester and the North West.”

Customers visiting the store after its launch on September 28 will decide how funds are allocated by using a token to vote for their favoured charity.

Shoppers will receive one token per transaction and be able to follow how much of the vote each organisation has gained.

Nicola’s Trust was set up in memory of former Hammond School pupil Nicola Riley, who died from a brain tumour in 2005.

The charity raises funds for children with cancer to enjoy family holidays.

Money donated to Blacon Community Trust will go towards Joe’s Cafe, a self-service cafe in the Dee Point Centre.

Business Action on Homelessness, run by Business in the Community, helps homeless people in Chester find and keep employment through its Ready to Work programme.

For more information about the charities supported, visit www.bitc.org.uk, www.nicolasfund.co.uk or www.blacon.org. uk.