SPAR UK retailers expand defibrillator access for local communities
SPAR in Northern Ireland has initiated the placement of defibrillators at SPAR and EUROSPAR stores throughout the country. As part of their ‘Heart of our Community campaign, retailers are bringing these life-saving devices to their local communities.
Most recently, two communities gained access to the devices, following fundraising initiatives run instore together with their customers. The objective is to encourage the growth of the largest network of external defibrillators installed right in the heart of urban and rural communities.
In addition, another 10 will be installed in the coming weeks. This will bring the total number of Automated External Defibrillators installed outside Henderson Group’s store network to 275.
The defibrillators are available for the community 24/7, thanks to them being installed outside the stores, providing essential access even when the stores are not open. As of the end of January 2023, there are 13 local SPAR and EUROSPAR stores in the area with defibrillators installed.
“We know that 17 lives have been saved thanks to our defibrillators, and we hope to see many more installed in the coming years”, said Bronagh Luke, Head of Corporate Marketing at Henderson Group of the latest installations.
Growing number of defibrillators
Installing life-saving defibrillators is also included in SPAR UK’s regional organisation A.F. Blakemore, which announced a plan to install devices when celebrating the company’s 100th anniversary in 2017. In the spirit of sharing ideas, SPAR Retail Partners Colruyt Group in Belgium launched a similar initiative in 2020, following visits to retailers of SPAR Ireland which launched their defibrillator initiative also in 2017, targeting EUROSPAR Supermarkets.
Focus on community
SPAR’s responsible retailing strategy includes a focus on community, for which the brand is renowned worldwide and is one of the founding principles on which the brand is based. Our community involvement initiatives are focused on creating awareness of social and environmental causes to ensure long-lasting, positive change.
Source: SPAR UK
About SPAR UK
The UK became a SPAR member in 1956 when SPAR International granted the SPAR licence to a group of independent wholesalers. As a result, there are now five regional partners in the UK. A central office in London provides national marketing and buying services for the group.
SPAR has led the highly competitive convenience market in the UK for many years. Always innovative, the five regional partners continue to grow the brand. SPAR UK comprises independently owned licensed retailers and company-owned stores. These include forecourts, airports, train stations, city centres, and local neighbourhood stores.
