NOT even a broken foot and a blood clot could stop Tesco's Julie Stokes proving she's a real champion.

 

An altercation with a trolley left her in plaster but she carried on regardless and in two weeks helped Dunfermline Foodbank, cooked and shopped for elderly residents, marshalled at a fun run and handed out prizes to arty school pupils.

 

And the community champion for the Tesco Dunfermline Fire Station store, who'll be in the Kingsgate Shopping Centre on Saturday as part of the food and craft fair, doesn't stop when she clocks off.

 

Julie told the Press: "I work on the check-outs too so a lot of the stuff I do in the community is when I finish my shift.

 

"I broke my foot 10 weeks ago, the fifth metatarsal, after an accident with a trolley and then got a blood clot but I've not had a day off because of it.

 

"I like to help. I do the shopping for some elderly residents, some just like the company, to wander round the store or have a wee chat, and I can do that. It's no problem."

 

Another unlucky break became a positive as it led Julie to help out at Spencer House, the sheltered housing complex just across the Glen Bridge from the store.

 

She said: "We had a customer who was a tenant there and she had an accident in the store when she fell over.

 

"She broke her leg in two places. I was the first aider so I treated her and spoke to her and started doing her shopping for her.

 

"I then started doing the shopping for three or four of them, or bringing them up to the store, and I still do.

 

"The other week we asked the residents if there was anything they'd like and they said a breakfast so we bought all the food, went down and cooked and served it.

 

"The lady that broke her leg sadly passed away recently but I'm so glad we got to spend time with her as she was great fun."

 

Always willing to assist, her community champ role saw her pitch in, plastered foot and all, when Dunfermline Foodbank moved into new premises in Elgin Industrial Estate.

 

She said: "I helped out over the two days and the space they've got now will make a real difference.

 

"It's much easier to find their way around the foodstuffs so it'll hopefully help with all the good work they do."

 

From there it was on to Crossford and Julie explained: "We sponsored the gala in Crossford last year and helped out on the day and also provided fruit and water for a football tournament they had in the run-up.

 

"We're helping this year too and one of the fund-raisers was the Two Village Trail Run, between Crossford and Cairneyhill, so we marshalled at that and brought along water and fruit.

 

"We had some left so just gave it to the teams who were playing a football match nearby."

 

In a packed fortnight, Julie also visited Pittencrieff Primary School where kids were given large polystyrene eggs to decorate.

 

The finished artwork was displayed in the store and the customers voted for their favourites, with chocolate Easter eggs for the top three.

 

Julie said: "Some of the work they put in was unbelievable and the customers really got involved with the voting."

 

And she's not finished yet. Tesco's champ will be on duty this Saturday with a stall in the Kingsgate for Dunfermline's Food and Craft Show, taking along a selection of cheeses and bread to taste.

 

"There's a raffle too," she added. "SRJ Windows have kindly donated a Dunfermline Athletic top with all money raised going to Cancer Research UK."