SPAR retailers supported Marie Curie Nurses with 1m PPE items

At the peak of the pandemic, 93 SPAR stores owned or serviced by James Hall & Co. Ltd became PPE access points where Marie Curie Nurses in Northern England could collect PPE free and easily from the community where they lived.

The successful initiative has come to an end after two years, and during that time, 190 Marie Curie Nurses were supported with PPE through SPAR stores ensuring that they could continue to provide first class end of life care and support to people with terminal illness, and their families.

Marie Curie’s Head of Corporate Partnerships Tom Heron and Senior Partnership Manager Megan Townshend personally thanked SPAR Northern Guild member Phil Bridge and highest independent SPAR fundraiser for the North of England, Nigel Masters, on a visit to James Hall.

Warehouse staff at James Hall & Co. Ltd’s SPAR Distribution Centre at Bowland View in Preston, which served as the hub for PPE distribution, will also be receiving recognition for their efforts.

“We are always very keen to support Marie Curie’s key fundraising initiatives so supporting the PPE scheme was a natural step for us,” said Nigel Masters.

“Our loyal customers are also incredibly generous throughout the year with donations into the Marie Curie buckets at the till, and that consistently means we raise a substantial amount for this fantastic charity.”

Phil Bridge said: “I was really pleased to open my stores up to be PPE access points for Marie Curie Nurses as we all had to pull together during the pandemic in what was an unusual time for everyone.

“Marie Curie is a charity that is there for anyone, and thanks to the kind-heartedness of the communities in Clitheroe and Blackburn where I have my stores, I was delighted to be able to hand over a large amount of fundraising to Tom and Megan during their visit.”

As well as supporting Marie Curie’s main fundraising appeals during the year, including the Great Daffodil Appeal and the Blooming Great Tea Party, James Hall supports the UK’s leading end of life care charity through a sandwich initiative too.

One penny from every SPAR sandwich or wrap sold in a store in a SPAR store in Northern England goes to Marie Curie, and donations from sales hit the £250,000 milestone in 2022.

Mark Clayden, Logistics Director at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “The end of the PPE initiative marks the end of a chapter and I think it has strengthened the partnership between SPAR and Marie Curie.

“The pandemic saw us both take our support to the communities that we serve to a new level and I look forward to the future between SPAR and Marie Curie.”