Colleagues at A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd, SPAR UK wholesaler for the Midlands and Wales, chose the UK’s leading end of life charity, Marie Curie, to be the official charity partner across the whole business for the first time.

Fundraising initiatives

A.F. Blakemore operates 248 SPAR stores across England and Wales. The new company-wide partnership aims to raise £250,000 throughout SPAR Supermarkets, logistics warehouses, and the head office support services team.

Colleagues across the different parts of the business will take on several fundraising activities including Marie Curie’s Blooming Great Tea Party in July, ‘Scare to Show you Care’ in October, SPARkle Christmas campaign in December, as well as promoting Marie Curie’s annual flagship fundraiser, the Great Daffodil Appeal in March.

Long-standing support

Marie Curie is the UK’s largest end of life charity, providing care and support to people at the end of life and their loved ones in their own homes, or at one of its hospices. The charity provides information and support relating to end of life and bereavement. A.F. Blakemore has supported Marie Curie for seven years, through joint fundraising activities with SPAR UK. Since 2017, this partnership has raised over £3.4million.

On the announcement, Caoire Blakemore, A.F. Blakemore’s Responsible Business Director said: “I am delighted that our colleagues chose to raise funds for Marie Curie. Their vision of ensuring everyone gets the best possible care and support at the end of life is a cause we look forward to championing.

“This is the first time ever that the whole business has been committed to raising money for Marie Curie. Our colleagues are really excited about the plans we have to kick off the partnership. We cannot wait to see what they will do to raise vital funds for Marie Curie.”

Kim Fowler, Marie Curie Clinical Nurse Specialist said: “The partnership will help fund Marie Curie services in the Midlands and across the UK. This includes our overnight hospice care at home services which are so important for people at the end of life living in their own homes.

“The money they hope to raise means Marie Curie could deliver nearly 11,000 hours of expert nursing care to people with any illness they are likely to die from. These include Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, heart, liver, kidney and lung disease, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, and advanced cancer.”

Source: A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd

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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.