A SPAR UK independent retailer from County Durham in Northeast England has received an award for their community support.

Raju Sundavadra, who runs SPAR Supermarket Belmont together with her husband Ram, received a Special Recognition accolade at the Fed Awards run by the Federation of Independent Retailers.

Active in the community

Raju and Ram have owned their SPAR Supermarket in Belmont’s High Street for 35 years after buying the store in 1989. In that time, they have always been very active in their community – supporting the church, local schools, and other initiatives with fundraising events and giveaways.

The Covid-19 pandemic brought their community work to a new level. Raju, supported by Ram and the dedicated staff at SPAR Supermarket Belmont, took it upon herself to pack up and deliver food parcels to anyone in the local area who needed help and was unable to leave their house.

Raju worked actively in the store until 2021 when she sadly suffered from a stroke. After two years of rehabilitation, Raju regained the ability to walk. Now, Raju works behind the scenes at SPAR Supermarket Belmont while continuing to support local good causes.

These include NeuroActiveUK, where she has channeled her energy into supporting them with events and raising money, particularly for charities such as the Stroke Association. Raju is preparing for her latest fundraising effort, a NeuroActiveUK group ascent of Sunderland Wall held on 3 August. Donations can be made to the effort here.

Putting others first

Raju said: “It was a complete surprise, and it was humbling to win the Special Recognition Award. Ram and I have always seen what we do for the community as part of being a local SPAR retailer, so I am honoured to be recognised for this work.

“Ever since we bought the store, we have always had an ethos of putting the customer first, and we are fortunate we are in a position where we can help people in the local area.

“I must thank our amazing staff as well who have bought into our commitment to helping the community.”

Source: James Hall & Co. Ltd

Read more about SPAR UK

About SPAR UK

The United Kingdom became a SPAR member in 1956 when SPAR International granted a licence to utilise the SPAR brand to a group of independent wholesalers. There are five regional organisations in the UK, continually building the brand’s presence. A central office in London provides national marketing and buying services for the group. SPAR in the UK comprises independently owned and licensed retailers as well as company-owned stores.