ONE of Britain’s top Olympic medal hopefuls travelling to the 2008 Games in China this summer is being supported by a virtual British corner shop that provides a service for ex-pats living overseas.

Bristol-based www.BritishCornerShop.co.uk, which specialises in sending branded food products to British people living abroad, is backing Olympic and Commonwealth Spring and Highboard diver, Peter Waterfield in his bid to secure his second Olympic medal.

The company’s Managing Director, Mark Callaghan explained: “We’re delighted to be able to support Peter and wish him all the best in the Games. He is flying out at the end of this month and throughout the event we’ll be watching his progress avidly. Peter relies heavily on sponsorship to be able to train and we are pleased to help.”

www.BritishCornerShop.co.uk, which provides an online service to anyone who has a loved one abroad and wants to send them food parcels and treats regularly, has pledged an undisclosed amount to help with some of Peter’s expenses for his recent training and is hoping customers will also cheer on the Olympic hopeful.

Peter scooped the first British medal of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens with his then diving partner Leon Taylor.

The 27-year-old said: “I am delighted to be supported by www.BritishCornerShop.co.uk, which promotes the best of British all over the world.”

Peter trains with the holder of a Helen Rollason medal for the best female UK Sports Coach of the Year 2005 and Olympic Coach, Lindsey Fraser, in Southampton, which is fast becoming the Mecca for Olympic and national diving hopefuls.

He added: “In the 2008 Olympics I would really like to bring home an individual medal. I am going to have to work harder than I have ever worked before and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.”

www.BritishCornerShop.co.uk stocks more than 6,000 British food products, covering all the major brands found in British supermarkets. The customer-focused website, which was launched in 2004, delivers British food to consumers worldwide and can also sell to trade customers and shops overseas via its recently launched wholesale department.

Mark added: “We offer our service to homesick Brits missing the food they grew up with but I am sure Peter will be too busy to be homesick when he’s in China.

“We get lots of unusual requests and have even sent 32 tins of baked beans to a tiny village in the Pyrenees. It’s not just people we cater for either, we have a range of pet foods and send lots of British cat and dog food to Japan.”

The company also has a dedicated British food wholesale division supplying shops and trade customers with products all over the world. It has recently shipped £50,000 of bacon to South America.

For further details regarding the service offered to British people living overseas, please visit www.BritishCornerShop.co.uk, call Customer Services & General Enquiries on 0845 30 11 147 or email customerservices@britishcornershop.co.uk.

For wholesale orders, please visit www.britishcornershop.co.uk/wholesale. To find out more about Peter Waterfield, please visit www.peterwaterfield.co.uk.

ENDS

For further media or additional photographs, please call Porcupine PR on 01278 446801 or email Rachel@porcupinepr.co.uk.

Photo caption one: Managing Director, Mark Callaghan from www.BritishCornerShop.co.uk.

Photo caption two: Olympic and Commonwealth medallist, Peter Waterfield with his medals.