The Great Daffodil Appeal is held throughout the month of March, and for the next three weeks 50p from the sale of every Clayton Park Victoria Sponge teatime cake sold in a SPAR North of England store will go to the end-of-life charity, Marie Curie.
SPAR stores are already participating in Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal through daffodil pin badges on sale at tills in-store, and through fresh bunches of vibrant yellow daffodils available for customers to purchase at £1.35.
This is not the first time Accrington-based Clayton Park has supported Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end of life charity. In 2023 the bakery produced a limited run lemon cake sold in SPAR stores to celebrate the charity’s 75th anniversary.
The classic Victoria Sponge cake, with its delicious buttercream and raspberry jam filling, now takes centre stage to boost fundraising in this key awareness month.
Barry Thomas, Founder and Managing Director of Clayton Park Bakery, was on hand to help launch the cake alongside Aishah Ibrahim, Trading Manager for SPAR North of England wholesaler James Hall & Co. Ltd, and Suzie Worthington, Acting Store Manager at SPAR Sharoe Green.
They were joined by Karla Wareing, Senior Healthcare Assistant, and Janet Curtis, Healthcare Assistant, both from Marie Curie’s Central Lancashire care team.
Barry said: “We are delighted to support Marie Curie again in what is a landmark year for the charity’s flagship Great Daffodil Appeal. Spring is in the air, and the timing of our support is perfect with customers typically beginning to buy teatime cakes again for events and occasions.
“Our classic Victoria Sponge cake is a hugely popular product with SPAR North of England customers who can now feel especially good about themselves when picking one up while shopping. Priced at £3.70, it offers great value, and we feel sure the response to the contribution will be very positive.”
Victoria Simkins, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Marie Curie, said: “We wanted to raise awareness of the 40th anniversary of the Great Daffodil Appeal in every way we could and all at Marie Curie are hugely appreciative of SPAR North of England’s support through the Clayton Park Bakery cake.
“The funds raised from sales of the cake will help ensure that Marie Curie Nurses and Healthcare Professionals can be there to provide expert care and support whatever the illness, at a time when almost one in three people in England and Wales die without the palliative and end of life care they need.
“Money raised will also help to fund our free Support Line, which is available to anyone with an illness they are likely to die from and those close to them, offering practical and emotional support on everything from symptom management and day-to-day care to financial information and bereavement support.”
Marie Curie cares for people with any illness they are likely to die from including Alzheimer’s (and other forms of dementia), heart, liver, kidney and lung disease, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, and advanced cancer.
If you’re living with a terminal illness or have been affected by dying, death and bereavement, Marie Curie can help. Visit mariecurie.org.uk or call the free Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309.