Just two days before Christmas, SPAR partner Maiora held two charity events as a special thank you to the local community in Corato, the town where Maiora is based.

On 23rd December a Christmas Concert – played by the Symphony Orchestra of the Metropolitan City of Bari – was held in the Municipal Theatre of Corato in the evening; this concert was enjoyed by an enthusiastic crowd who appreciated the evening’s free entertainment. Two vocalists, Luciana Negroponte and Giuseppe del Rea, and the Jubilee Gospel Singers also performed.

In addition, a Solidarity Dinner was organised at a church in Corato for approximately 400 of the most disadvantaged people in the city, as identified by charity Caritas.

“We offered this double event”, explained Mr Pippo Cannillo, president and CEO of Maiora, “to the city of Corato, because this place has been the foundation of the Maiora project, and it is a lso where the heart of the business, namely the central office, is situated. We wanted at this time to leave out all commercial aspects in order to focus on culture and solidarity.”

At a press conference preceding the event, Mr Luigi Peschechera, Buying and Marketing Director at Maiora, further outlined the company’s charity activities, which are diverse:

“Through our stores, we have been contributing for several years to food collection initiatives. In March last, we donated 4,500 tons of food to charity. We have supported for 10 years the League of the Golden Thread in Molfetta, which is a charity aiding people with sensory disabilities, such as the deaf or blind, by donating money collected through customers’ loyalty cards. We also support the Agape Association, a charity providing a variety of services for children, adolescents and their parents, as well as the Health Centre in San Giovanni Rotondo.

“Our most recent charity activity is a project coordinated by the Lions Clubs of the region Apulia, which is focused on promoting healthier and well-balanced nutritional choices by children. The scheme “Prevent through play” is led by a nutritionist both in traditional classes and on line and will involve 4,000 children aged 10-11, from the 5th grade of local elementary schools. Additionally, the students will visit DeSPAR stores and food processing companies in the coming months. At the end of this project, the best works on the subject will be chosen and awarded prizes.

In future, each store will make a small contribution to their local Patron Saint festivities, which will foster the connection with local communities and their traditions. And finally, on certain days of the week, a special 20% discount is being offered to consumers who need it the most: people over 65 years of age who shop on Thursday, and families on Sundays”.