Café Manager at BASIC stars in new National Lottery TV advert

John Preston, the Café Manager of The Brain and Spinal Injury Centre in Salford, spent ten hours a week baking 300-400 pies during the height of the COVID-19 crisis and delivering these to frontline NHS staff.

John’s work has now been recognised in a National Lottery advert praising good deeds.

BASIC, based in Eccles, works with local people recovering from brain and spinal injuries, as well as long term neurological conditions. Since the start of the lockdown the charity has been forced to shut its doors to the public, but dedicated staff like John have adapted well to the ‘new’ normal.

The group received more than £112,000 of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to build the onsite café managed by John which had become a hub for older people in the community.

Essential physiotherapy classes have continued, with the charity switching to teaching useful chair-based exercises through video calling apps.

The charity also runs psychotherapy sessions which now take place over the phone and online, ensuring that people using its services not only get the physical support they need but also the emotional support during this challenging time.

The TV ad is part of a marketing campaign running across TV, radio, social and digital, which will first air this week. It will appear during high-profile TV shows including Good Morning Britain, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and First Dates.

Read more on Manchester Evening News.