A Walton-le-Dale SPAR has raised £5,302 for Marie Curie since March 2017, making it the firm’s most successful fundraising store in the north.

The celebrations at the Sandringham Road store are part of a wider £500,000 milestone achieved by Preston-based James Hall and Co. Ltd, SPAR UK’s regional wholesaler and distributor.

The shop achieved the funds through in-store initiatives, including raffles and fancy dress competitions and thanks to the generosity of customers who donate money through Marie Curie collection boxes. 

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Sam Cottam, Store Manager at Sandringham Road SPAR, said: “I’m ecstatic that our store is the highest fundraiser for Marie Curie, a charity close to everyone’s hearts.

“It is a very worthy cause, which is why we push our fundraising efforts, and it is a charity that means a lot to a number of our customers.

“We are a community store, and our lovely team put on raffles, get dressed up and hold tea parties to help the fundraising.

“We have great fun with our customers along the way, which helps support the work of Marie Curie on the ground.” 

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James Hall and Co. Ltd supports Marie Curie through several initiatives.

They include the annual Great Daffodil Appeal in March and the National Day of Reflection (23 March).

On this day, Marie Curie encourages people to wear a daffodil pin and take a moment to show support for the millions of people bereaved during the pandemic and remember those lost. 

The company donates a penny to Marie Curie from every SPAR sandwich sold in one of the 600 SPAR stores it services in Northern England.

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Senior Healthcare Assistant at Marie Curie Linda McCarten said: “I’ve worked in the care sector for more than 30 years, and excellent end of life care is of paramount importance.

“I joined Marie Curie 13 years ago after I saw at close quarters the fantastic end of life care they provided to a relative of mine and after I experienced the empathy the frontline team provided for our wider family at that time.

“To have the support of SPAR and James Hall and Co. Ltd is amazing, and £500,000 is a brilliant total to have reached.

“This helps fund our critical work. I’m a regular at my local SPAR store, and it has supported me through the pandemic too as a collection point for PPE, enabling me to carry on doing the work I love for Marie Curie.” 

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James Hall and Co. Ltd has helped distribute PPE to frontline Marie Curie Nurses throughout the pandemic. 

Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end of life care charity, provides essential frontline nursing and hospice care for people with terminal illnesses, a free support line, and information and support on all aspects of dying, death and bereavement. 

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Niels Dekkers, Retail Development Director at James Hall and Co. Ltd, said: “The £500,000 milestone for Marie Curie is a huge achievement for our company.

“It is a very proud moment for us. Marie Curie provides an incredible end of life care service, and we are delighted to be able to support this invaluable work.

“This latest milestone could not have been achieved so quickly without the kind-heartedness of our loyal customers combined with the commitment of our stores and their fundraising initiatives.

“I would like to congratulate our team at Sandringham Road for their brilliant fundraising work.” 

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