SPAR Northern Guild charity challenge raises £40,000 for Marie Curie

The SPAR Northern Guild’s Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge trek has raised an incredible £40,000 for Marie Curie.

The trek in July saw 135 people tackle the 24-mile route, taking in the climbs of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough and more than 1,600m of ascent along the way.

Those taking on the challenge included employees from right across the James Hall Group of Companies including James Hall & Co. Ltd, Clayton Park Bakery, Fazila Foods, Ann Forshaw’s Alston Dairy, and G.A.P. Convenience Distribution Ltd.

Retail staff from James Hall & Co. Ltd’s G&E Murgatroyd SPAR company-stores division also took part and they were joined by several independent SPAR retailers from across the North of England, and members of the corporate charity fundraising team at Marie Curie.

Special branded Marie Curie, James Hall & Co. Ltd and SPAR T-shirts were produced for the occasion providing great brand awareness and colour along the route.

Starting and finishing in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, the challenge is to complete the walk inside 12 hours. The quickest completion time was 6hrs 56mins and the final finishers completed the walk in 13hrs 15mins.

“The last of the funds are now in and I’m ecstatic that we have managed to reach such a fundraising milestone figure for Marie Curie," said Peter Dodding, Sales Director at James Hall & Co. Ltd and Chairman of the SPAR Northern Guild Committee of Retailers.

“We had perfect cool and cloudy conditions for the walk on the day, however, nobody should underestimate what a tough challenge the Yorkshire Three Peaks is. I would like to congratulate and thank everybody who took part and fundraised to achieve this amazing amount.”

The Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge is one of several charity partnership activities James Hall & Co. Ltd has carried out this year to support Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end of life charity.

Other recent activity includes the Blooming Great Tea Party where £28,000 was raised through the G&E Murgatroyd SPAR company-stores division.

A "Design a Sandwich Pack" competition has also been held, won by 11-year-old Esme Jones from Wakefield, where 5p from the sale of SPAR’s Egg Mayonnaise sandwich with the winning design on its pack goes to Marie Curie for a period of six months.

Imogen Duffin, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Marie Curie, said: “Everyone at Marie Curie is so grateful for the support of James Hall & Co Ltd over recent years and this is a fantastic effort. The Three Peaks Challenge is no mean feat, so all members of the team should be proud of their efforts.

“Marie Curie believes everyone should have expert care and support at the end of life, free from unnecessary pain, and have the dignity and respect they deserve, whatever their illness. It’s thanks to amazing donations and supporters like this that Marie Curie can continue to provide the best possible care for anyone living with a terminal illness, at home, in our hospices, or over the phone."