Having made its triumphant debut in 2022, Spar’s £100,000 Community Cashback Scheme has returned for a second year, giving away grants to local voluntary or community organisations and charities.
Shoppers from all over the UK can apply for a grant for an organisation or charity they feel deserves funding. All applicants need to do is share details of the exceptional contribution a local organisation has made to their community and what the grant would be put towards.
Applications will run until 15 March 2023 via the Spar website and successful candidates will be contacted on 2 May 2023.
There are grants available, covering all geographical regions across the UK. Amounts up to £10,000 are available, with a total pool of grants valued at £100,000. Successful applicants will be visited and awarded their grant from their local Spar representative.
The top 100 shortlisted charities will then have the chance to be showcased across Spar social channels and website for a single month, giving the charities valuable exposure and amplifying the Spar Community Cashback campaign.
Suzanne Dover, Spar UK brand and marketing director, said: “Our 2023 Community Cashback programme gives our Spar stores a chance to give back to their local community.
“We believe in nurturing our neighbourhoods and supporting the communities we serve, and the Community Cashback scheme is another way we are helping to do this, especially now when deserving local organisations need some extra financial support.”
The 2023 campaign will be supported by Spar UK and all five Spar RDCs with extra PR, digital amplification opportunities, and more promotion in Spar stores with POS and Spar Radio.
Last year, the scheme was able to help support numerous community groups:
Community Rescue Service provides all aspects of search and rescue operated by volunteers from communities across Northern Ireland. Founder and regional commander Sean McCarry said: “This £10,000 Spar Community Cashback grant made a huge difference to everyone in Northern Ireland. We send the volunteers out fully protected and the myriad of equipment needed means they can search safely and bring their loved ones home as quickly as possible.”
Stoke & Staffordshire Downs Syndrome Social Group offers children and adults with Downs Syndrome a safe, fun, and sociable place to meet with others who have Downs Syndrome. Founder Julia Boardman said: “We were over the moon to have been chosen to receive a £10,000 Spar Community Cashback grant and to be recognised by Spar even though we’re a small charity. It has really helped a group like ours, we do all our work on a voluntary basis and we reach over 100 families. We have been able to provide a holiday club structured for our families in the group and tailor to how our children need the activities in a safe environment.”
The voluntary organisation Northumbria Blood Bikes provides a vital out of hours transportation service to the NHS and transport anything from blood to baby milk and equipment through to medication across the entire Northeast area. Its Vice Chair Mick Redpath said: “The Spar £10,000 Community Cashback grant paid for all the fuel for all the vehicles that we operate for three months. In that time, we have helped approximately 4,500 people by delivering to over forty locations and helping our partners move urgent samples from one end of the country to the other.”
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