JOHN Lewis Bluewater has announced the first three groups to receive support through its new Community Matters scheme.

Arrow Riding Centre, based in Dartford, gained the majority of the vote with 51.55 per cent, and received a donation of £1,546.

The charity plans to use the money to purchase new equipment and riding hats.

Kent Youth received a donation of £773 after gaining 25.77 per cent of the vote.

The cash will help support young people, aged 15 to 19, to be trained as sports leaders.

With the remaining 22.68 per cent of the vote, Hayden under 10’s football club will use the donation of £680 towards new kit and medical equipment.

Managing director of John Lewis Bluewater, Karen Lord, said:  "Our customers are now familiar with Community Matters and the feedback has been great - people stop and take time to choose the charity they’d like to see John Lewis support.

"It is exciting for us to see how the vote has been split and for us to now make the donations to these very worthwhile community groups."

Community Matters allows John Lewis customers to decide how much each good cause receives, via a token voting system in the shop’s Place to Eat restaurant.

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

The next three good causes to take part in the scheme will be Elimination of Leukaemia fund, Maidstone Rebels wheelchair basketball team and the Oliver Fisher neonatal unit.

Organisations who would like to be considered as part of Community Matters should visit John Lewis Bluewater to pick up a nomination form from the Place to Eat restaurant.