Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) has announced a partnership with Spar to help bring its ParkLives community programme to life across England, Scotland and Wales this summer.

ParkLives is a community initiative delivered in partnership with local councils, which encourages communities to come together and enjoy their local parks and green spaces. 

Starting in April and running all summer and open to people of all ages and abilities, ParkLives activities are run by a team of trained local leaders and volunteers and offer a variety of free sessions. 

The 213 Spar stores taking part are all within a mile of a ParkLives active park and Spar is supporting the event in participating stores with in-store POS, social media, Spar Radio and exclusive Spar shopper prizes. There will also be a special retailer incentive of £1,000 for the best ParkLives in-store activation. 

Debbie Robinson, Spar UK managing director said: “We have chosen to work with Coca-Cola on this project because of the work Spar stores do in local communities. This programme is about adding value to the consumer relationships that already exist between our stores and the communities they serve.” 

Gary Black, director of wholesale and convenience at CCEP GB, said: “We’re delighted that Spar is partnering with our ParkLives programme this year as it will help raise awareness of the free activities to more consumers in the local areas in which the scheme operates in. With an extended range of activities on offer this year, and all still free to local people, we hope that even more will join in.”

Now in its fourth year, ParkLives runs in 10 cities nationwide, including: Glasgow Dundee, Southampton, Newcastle, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent, Swansea, Birmingham, the London Borough of Newham and Nottingham.