James Hall & Co celebrates raising £1 million for Marie Curie

SPAR North of England retailer, wholesaler and distributor James Hall & Co has celebrated a major charity milestone with £1 million raised for Marie Curie.

The million-pound mark comes as the national charity partnership between SPAR and Marie Curie enters a 10^th year.

By raising £1 million, the funding raised by James Hall & Co has meant that 43,478 hours of care have been delivered by Marie Curie hospice and nursing teams. A total of 1,683 people have been supported by household helpers, and 19,444 information and support enquiries have been handled online or over the phone.

As part of marking the £1 million milestone, Marie Curie corporate partnership managers Lily Whitlam and Victoria Simkins attended the latest SPAR North of England Guild meeting to thank independent SPAR retailers and James Hall’s G&E Murgatroyd company stores division for their fundraising efforts.

Key initiatives that have driven the fundraising to seven figures include the company’s 1p charity sandwich sale pledge on every SPAR brand sandwich sold in a SPAR store in the North of England.

The partnership has also been highlighted through customer initiatives which have included 10-year-old Holly Brocklebank-Watts winning a SPAR truck design competition, and 12-year-old Esme Jones designing an Egg Mayonnaise SPAR sandwich pack.

Peter Dodding, sales director at James Hall & Co and chairman of the SPAR Northern Guild of Retailers, said: “Raising £1 million is an incredible achievement. It is testament to years of committed fundraising shown by SPAR independent retailers and our G&E Murgatroyd company store teams, supported by the continuous generosity of our valued SPAR customers.

“Through mass participation events, product donations, volunteering hours, and inventive ways of showcasing the partnership, we take great pride in the partnership. Celebrating this milestone is hugely important for the positive impact it has delivered in communities across the North of England.”

Richard Lee, director of fundraising at Marie Curie, said: “We’re extremely grateful to James Hall & Co’s SPAR customers and colleagues in the North of England for raising this tremendous amount.

“Their support is helping Marie Curie to provide a better end of life for people, whatever the illness, wherever they are, and support for their families and loved ones. Since 2017, James Hall & Co’s commitment to supporting our mission to close the gap in end-of-life care has been remarkable. We’re excited to see what the future holds for this truly impactful partnership.”