Spar and Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington recently undertook a nationwide road trip to visit some of Ireland’s most deserving community groups as part of the innovative Spar Community Fund initiative.
The road trip took them to the Celine Hession School of Dancing, Galway; the Munster Wheelchair Hurling Camogie Club, Limerick; the Spartan Boxing Club, Cork; Cancer Care Transport, Waterford; and Friends of the Elderly in Dublin.
The five organisations – spread across Connacht, Munster and Leinster – each received €2,000 in funding, bringing the total invested by Spar in community initiatives over the last six months to €20,000.
More than 1,200 groups applied for the second wave of funding provided by the Spar Community Fund.
According to the retailer, the winners were selected for their ability to create a positive and lasting impact on their local communities.
Deserving Organisations
Harrington and Spar paid a personal visit to each club over the course of two days last week, spending time getting to know the people behind each organisation and discussing the impact that the funds will have.
Speaking about the Spar Community Road Trip, brand ambassador Harrington said, “This initiative means so much to me. Over the course of the last six months, I’ve worked with Spar, who have invested an amazing €20,000 in the most deserving organisations.
“With that kind of money, we are making a real difference to the lives of people who are in need of a little support or a leg up. What we’ve achieved over the last number of months feels like the start of something special.”
Road Trip
Spar retailers are ‘committed to the hundreds of communities in which they are embedded, working closely with many local clubs and organisations to enrich the lives of those they serve.’
Colin Donnelly, sales director, Spar, commented on the announcement, saying, “We’ve been blown away by the response – not just from clubs, but also the wider public, the media, and our many store owners.
“Spar has always been a community-oriented organisation. We pride ourselves on being approachable and in tune with our customers. Kellie has been a great brand ambassador for us, and we look forward to seeing just how impactful the fund will be over the coming weeks, months and years.”
In November 2021, Spar announced a three-year partnership with Harrington that will see the retailer support her on her journey to Paris in 2024.
Read More: Brand Ambassador, Spar: Kellie Harrington, Olympic Champion
© 2022 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more retail news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
