More than 90 EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA stores across Northern Ireland are set to take part in a new fundraising initiative supporting Cancer Fund for Children.
The Big Daisy Day Out, supported by Barista Bar Coffee, will run from 25-27 September, with stores hosting activities including coffee and bake sales, raffles, games, performances by local choirs and dance groups, and family entertainment.
The initiative refreshes the retailers’ annual Community Coffee Mornings, which have raised more than £2.2 million for Cancer Fund for Children over the course of their 15-year partnership.
In the run-up to the event, shoppers can collect free daisy colouring templates in stores for children to decorate. The completed daisies will be displayed as a chain in participating stores during the fundraising weekend.
Cancer Fund for Children Young Ambassador Lucy, 13, from Belfast, has experienced first-hand the impact of cancer on families. Her mum Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2023, while her older sister Leancha had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021 and sadly died in August 2023.
Lucy and her family have received support from Cancer Fund for Children, including following Leancha’s diagnosis, treatment and bereavement. Her experience inspired her to become a Young Ambassador and speak about the support available to young people affected by cancer.
“The opportunity I had to meet people through Cancer Fund for Children that understood me, who were going through similar things and to hear their stories, was really helpful for me,” Lucy said.
“I want people to know that it’s not just the person who has the diagnosis that’s impacted, but it impacts the whole family, and Cancer Fund for Children do so much for the whole family.”
She added: “It really means a lot when people support Cancer Fund for Children because when they do, they’re supporting families like mine, and they’ve helped me so much.”
The fundraising takes place during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, which aims to highlight the impact of childhood cancer on young people and their families.
Cancer Fund for Children CEO Phil Alexander thanked store teams and shoppers for their continued support, adding that the charity’s Community Coffee Mornings had “gone from strength to strength”.
“It’s fantastic to see the refresh into the Big Daisy Day Out this year, welcoming shoppers to enjoy a full weekend of exciting activities in their local store. The dedication and passion to fundraising from the stores and shoppers is invaluable to us and to the families we support,” he said.
Bethany Priestley of EUROSPAR NI said the new format would give store teams and shoppers more opportunities to engage with their local communities.
“At the start of this year we celebrated 15 years of our charity partnership and raising an amazing total of £2.2 million for Cancer Fund for Children,” she said.
“This refresh will enable creativity for our store teams and shoppers and provide even more of an opportunity for our stores to connect with their local communities.”
Barista Bar’s national brand and business development manager Keavy O’Mahony-Truesdale said the company was “proud to support” the stores’ community fundraising and looked forward to the new event.
“The store teams always go the extra mile to welcome shoppers and encourage donations. We look forward to seeing what the Big Daisy Day Out brings to local communities this year,” she said.
Shoppers can visit participating stores from 25-27 September to take part in the activities and support the charity.