ONE of York's newest retailers John Lewis has announced how it will be splitting a £3,000 donation between three local charities.

The high street giant, which opened a £15 million store at York's new Vangarde Shopping Centre, has announced the donations made to the first community groups.

Every three months the retailer supports three charitable causes as part of its Community Matters scheme, by donate at total of £3,000.

John Lewis York customers then decide which charity they would like to support by voting in store with a token.

At the end of each round of voting, John Lewis splits the £3,000 according to the proportion of the customer vote they received.

The first three local organisations to receive support from John Lewis York were Arc Light, Independent Domestic Abuse Services and Accessible Arts and Media.

The voting launched on the shop’s opening day, on April 10.

Independent Domestic Abuse Services gained the majority of the vote and received a donation from John Lewis of £1,385. They will use the money to support children and young people who have lived with abuse.

Arc Light received a donation of £868. John Lewis’s support will help them fund their active learning programme.

Accessible Arts and Media will use John Lewis’s donation of £747 to continue their work to connect people with disabilities and young people across York & North Yorkshire.

Robert Garnish, branch manager of John Lewis York, said: “John Lewis York is delighted to have been able to support these three charities and the extraordinary contribution they make to the local community.

“Customers response to our Community Matters scheme in York has been fantastic; we have seen a high number of applications and nominations for the next set of charities.

"Customers are really taking care and time to choose who they would like to see supported.”

The next three community groups have been selected; York Mind, York Food Bank and Youth Base a Barnardo’s project based in Knaresborough will be supported for three months.

Organisations who would like to be considered as part of Community Matters should visit John Lewis York to pick up a nomination form from the Community Matters collection box in the front entrance.