Colleagues at A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd, a food retail, wholesale and distribution company based in the Midlands and Wales have chosen the UK’s leading end of life charity, Marie Curie, to be the official charity partner across the whole business for the first time ever.
The new company-wide partnership aims to raise £250,000 throughout their SPAR retail stores, logistics warehouses, Philpotts stores and their head office support services team.
A.F. Blakemore owns 248 SPAR stores and is the largest SPAR wholesaler in England and Wales.
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.
A. F. Blakemore has supported Marie Curie for seven years, through joint fundraising activities with SPAR UK. Since 2017 the partnership has raised over £3.4million.
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.
”Our team are incredibly motivated and driven by raising funds for charity and their local community and it brings a lot of fun to our stores and workplaces.
“This is the first time ever that the whole business has been committed to raising money for Marie Curie, and our colleagues are really excited about the plans we have to kick off the partnership and we cannot wait to see what they will get up to raise vital funds for Marie Curie.”
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, including West Midlands/Cardiff & The Vale hospice. The charity also provides information and support relating to end of life and bereavement.
“The partnership will help fund Marie Curie services in the Midlands and across the UK, including our overnight hospice care at home services, which are so important for people at the end of life living in their own homes.
Kim Fowler, Marie Curie Clinical Nurse Specialist, said, “Now, more than ever, charities are having to rely on fundraising and donations from local supporters and businesses, and we are delighted A.F. Blakemore staff have voted for Marie Curie to be their charity partner.
“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 including Alzheimer's (and other forms of dementia), heart, liver, kidney and lung disease, motor neurone disease, Parkinson's, and advanced cancer.”
Brian McLister
