A.F. Blakemore has launched a Community Cashback Grant scheme worth £30,000 across its Spar stores to thank local charities and community groups for their work during the coronavirus crisis. 

Community Cashback Grant (2)

The Community Cashback Grant scheme will close for applications on 9 July, with grants awarded to good causes across four regions, voted for by the public on a weekly basis. The Community Cashback initiative was first launched by fellow Spar wholesaler the Henderson Group earlier this year before being adopted by A.F. Blakemore this summer.

Every Monday, 12 finalists will be announced on A.F. Blakemore’s website and Spar Facebook pages, and the public will be able to vote for the group they want to receive the top grant of £1,000 in their region.

In each region the group that receives the most public votes will receive £1,000, the group with the second most votes will receive £500 and the group with the third most votes will receive £375.

At the end of the four weeks, there will be 48 winners in total. All organisations have to do to apply for a grant is fill in a simple application form.

Group marketing director Sarah Ellis said: “A.F. Blakemore has played a key role in local communities throughout the coronavirus pandemic – supplying essential goods and services via its Spar stores, supporting RVS’s Volunteer Responders scheme and helping local councils feed vulnerable people via its foodservice operation.

“At the same time the business has received a lot of great support back from local communities, and we want to say thank you to everyone doing great things for others. We hope that our Community Cashback grants go a small way to helping people in need.”