Spar, Eurospar, Vivo and Vivoxtra stores across Northern Ireland are thanking local shoppers for their generosity after over £900,000 was raised during their latest appeal for the Tearfund charity.
Launched last November, Break the Cycle of Poverty aimed to raise £350,000 in shopper donations over three months, a figure the retailer committed to match, with every penny going to help people living in extreme poverty around the world.
In total, generous shoppers and supporters of the campaign raised an incredible £453,443 which has been matched by the retailer to total a record-breaking £906,886, superseding the previous record amount.
Chris Thompson (above right), NI director at Tearfund, thanked shoppers and their retail charity partners, alongside the ambassadors who helped share their experiences and encouraged donations throughout the appeal - chef Stephen Jeffers and Ulster Rugby’s Rob Lyttle. He said: “This is an absolutely outstanding total to have raised for the families we work with around the world. It’s incredible to think our supporters have helped us raise close to £1 million in just three months.
“Not only have shoppers been generous with donations, but the retailers and our ambassadors have been so generous with their time and in sharing their own personal experiences about why the work Tearfund does strikes a chord. They helped us expand our approach this year, especially working with Stephen Jeffers’ to create a special Demo & Dine event which brought such generosity from the attendees.”
Bronagh Luke (above left) from Spar NI recently visited Rwanda with colleagues, experiencing first-hand how the money raised during the annual appeals helps families plunged into poverty due to conflict and extreme weather conditions, to name a few.
Bronagh added; “In Rwanda, we met many families who have been able to learn drought-resistant farming techniques from rebuilding their communities alongside Tearfund’s church partners. Thanks to our appeals over the years, Tearfund has been able to provide emergency support on the ground, while also working with families to deliver skills and training to help them stand strong in the face of the climate crisis.
“I’m overwhelmed by the generosity of our shoppers, who’ve smashed through our goal, donating spare change and bringing their communities together through events to help others around the world - who need the tools to help lift themselves out of poverty.”
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