Stephen Bromby, Asda Boston’s community champion, is planning to run 30 miles in February to celebrate 30 years since he joined the company which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the supermarket’s Tickled Pink breast cancer campaign.
He first joined Asda back in January 1996, filling the store’s shelves with beers, wines and spirits at the supermarket’s former Boston location on Horncastle Road – 30 years later, he is now the store’s community champion and familiar face to many local people.
Outside of supporting the community around the Lister Way store, part of Stephen’s work with Asda involves raising money for national charity partners. One of which is BBC Children In Need, where in addition to fundraising, he has become famous for escorting Pudsey bear around a number of local primary schools in November’s TV appeal week. The other main fundraising activity is for Asda’s Tickled Pink Campaign, which supports the fantastic work of two breast cancer charities, Breast Cancer Now and Coppafeel! which this year is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Breast Cancer Now is the charity that’s steered by world-class research and powered by life-changing support. It’s there for anyone affected by breast cancer, the whole way through, providing support for today and hope for the future. CoppaFeel! is the UK’s only youth focused breast cancer awareness charity, and it’s on a mission to get every 18–24-year-old checking their chest. It educates people on the signs of breast cancer and encourages them to check their chests regularly.
Stephen explained: “I’ve signed up to run 30 miles across the month of February to kick start 2026 by fundraising for Tickled Pink. Every penny raised and every mile covered will help to improve the lives of people affected by breast cancer, all for Asda Tickled Pink’s 30th birthday. We’re all on a mission to make checking your boobs, pecs or chests, whoever you are, as normal as your Asda shop. With the help of people who support me, we’re raising funds for better breast cancer treatments, vital education and life-changing support, for anyone who needs it.
“I’ve set up a donation page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/asda-boston-30for30 and I’m so grateful to everyone who has given so far.”
However, despite completing 30 years working for Asda, Stephen has not spent them all in one spot. When Asda opened its new store in Grantham in the late 90s, Stephen transferred his skills and knowledge to that site as chilled supervisor. During his time working in that branch, he was given the opportunity to travel to Arkansas, in the United States of America, for a week-long event celebrating workers, customers and brands with concerts and activities, by the company’s owners at the time, Wal-mart.
As the new millennium started, Asda started to trade in Wisbech and Stephen opened the chilled department in that store. While working there he learned how to run the home and leisure department looking after everything from daily newspapers to laptops. Finally, he returned back to Boston in 2004 to open the current Lister Way superstore. He was appointed as community champion for the store in August 2011, ahead of the programme’s official launch in Mach 2012.
Stephen said: “I’ve had a fantastic time with Asda, and these years spent with our community programme have definitely been some of the best.
“Whether I’m making up and delivering hundreds of emergency care packs to families affected by the 2013 tidal surge, working closely with the council to provide nappies, baby milk formula, duvets – and two pallets of microwaves to residents who had lost all their essentials or if I’m working with one person who received an Asda Foundation Emergency Grant after a house fire who was so grateful to, in her words, just have some clean knickers and be able to brush her teeth, I know that the Asda Foundation is keen to transform communities and improve lives and support the work I do.<
“It’s not always about the money though, at Asda we’re also known for getting out in community, rolling up our sleeves, getting involved, helping others and trying to make Boston a better place – really just trying to be a good neighbour where we can.
“I’ve had some great times during my 30 years with Asda – I’ve met their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, danced with Peter Andre, and I’ve even been a contender for the Retail Week Awards for Community Hero at Grosvenor House in London. But nothing beats the feeling of local people recognising the Asda logo on my uniform and then proceeding to tell me about how we transformed their local village hall, delivered a lesson at their grandchild’s school or gave an Asda Foundation grant to a local charity that’s dear to their heart.”
In total, there are four Asda Boston colleagues taking on the 30 miles for 30 years challenge to raise funds for the breast cancer partnership:
Stephen Bromby: https://www.justgiving.com/page/asda-boston-30for30
Paul Robinson: https://www.justgiving.com/page/robbo9990
Dianne Ross: https://www.justgiving.com/page/dianneross
Sarah Clarke: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sarah-clarke-30for30
(L) Stephen outside Asda’s Lister Way store in 2026; (R) Stephen in Asda’s store in 1999
