Seaforde store team celebrates contribution to £1m milestone for Marie Curie
The team from Brennan’s SPAR, Seaforde have organised a number of fundraising initiatives and events in-store to become one of the top SPAR fundraisers in NI.
Fundraising from SPAR NI store teams and shoppers has broken through the milestone amount of £1,000,000 for Marie Curie, enabling even more community nursing for those who need it the most.
The team from Brennan’s SPAR, Seaforde, has spoken of their pride at contributing a significant amount of fundraising towards a NI-wide total of £1,024,167 from SPAR NI to Marie Curie NI.
The partnership between SPAR NI and Marie Curie NI has been active since 2017, and has seen Brennan’s SPAR put its full support behind some of Marie Curie’s biggest and most iconic campaigns.
The campaign included The Great Daffodil Appeal and Blooming Great Tea Party, while also running their own fundraising initiatives and events in-store to become one of the top SPAR fundraisers in NI.
Since the partnership began, their community team leader who manages all fundraising events for Marie Curie has had the team dressing up for donations, taking on spin-a-thons, football toe-tap contests and getting soaked with water sponges.
They have also created colouring competitions for their young supporters to get involved, while sharing samples of fresh and local produce and complimentary tea, coffee, treats and soft drinks all in aid of the charity.
Connor McKibbin, owner of Brennan’s SPAR, has first-hand experience of Marie Curie services, with many members of his family needing support from their community nurses.
Connor said: “There’s a big personal reason why we throw so much into our fundraising for Marie Curie, and that is simply because so many of us have had family members supported by their services.
“In our family alone, my mum, brother, aunts and uncles have all experienced the tremendous help and the wonderful work provided by community nurses from the charity.
“We are so delighted to be one of the top fundraisers in NI contributing towards SPAR NI’s one million pound milestone for Marie Curie.
“It can only have a positive effect on anyone and their families who are going through end of life care. It is for them that we will continue to organise our events, coffee mornings and fun days for this very worthy charity.”
Bronagh Luke from SPAR NI said:” “We are thrilled to reach this monumental milestone for Marie Curie.
“Over the past eight years, we have been so proud of the passion and support our retailers have given to this partnership, while engaging with the many fundraising initiatives our marketing team has rolled out.
“Sadly, so many have had their own friends and family members rely on support from Marie Curie’s community teams and at the east Belfast Hospice, which only serves to drive them to help even more.”
Conor O’Kane, Senior Partnership Manager at Marie Curie also added: “This is such a special milestone to reach with SPAR NI.
“It is the result of the commitment and engagement of every store across Northern Ireland.
“To have received over one million pounds from one corporate partner in just eight years is incredible, especially as Marie Curie marks 60 years in Northern Ireland.
“Oftentimes, shoppers at stores will have an affiliation with Marie Curie, whether we have helped a family member in the past or in the present, and that is what makes this partnership so strong, it’s communities helping communities.”
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