Spar and Marie Curie are encouraging people to bake their favourite cakes, hold a tea party and raise vital funds to help ensure more people, whatever their illness, get the end of life care they urgently need.
From the 8th-28th of August, participating Spar stores in England, Scotland and Wales are supporting the Blooming Great Tea Party by hosting tea parties throughout the summer and raising vital funds for the UK’s end of life charity Marie Curie.
During the campaign, Spar shoppers can also show their support when they buy selected products in their local Spar store. Well-known household brands including Diet Coke, Rubicon Sparkling Mango, Cadbury’s Milk Chocolate, and McVitie’s Milk Chocolate Digestives have a 5p per unit donation to Marie Curie.
Ian Taylor, Spar UK retail and brand development director, said: “We are delighted so many Spar store teams and shoppers across the country support the Blooming Great Tea Party to raise money for Marie Curie.
“We have already had a phenomenal response to the campaign. By supporting Marie Curie through the Blooming Great Tea Party, we are not only raising funds – but helping ensure more people get the care and support they need at the end of life, whatever their illness.
Lily Whitlam, corporate partnership lead at Marie Curie, said: “The Blooming Great Tea Party is the perfect way to celebrate our partnership and raise vital funds to help Marie Curie provide care and support for people at the end of life, and their families, at home, in our hospices, or over the phone.
“It’s fantastic to see so many stores getting involved with the campaign already. On behalf of everyone at Marie Curie, a massive thank you to Spar colleagues, suppliers and shoppers for getting behind this campaign. Every pound raised is vital to help us improve end of life care and give people the vital emotional and practical help they need.”
As part of the campaign a delicious lemon honey drizzle cake recipe has been developed by expert cake maker, cookbook author and baker Suzy Pelta. Suzy, a Marie Curie supporter, said: “Baking is such a great way to show love to your friends and family! And it’s such a lovely way to help raise money for a brilliant cause like Marie Curie’s Blooming Great Tea Party with Spar.”
In addition to supporting the Blooming Great Tea Party with instore events around the country, Spar has commissioned research which has revealed that cheesecake is now the top-rated sweet treat in the UK, with chocolate cake and carrot cake in second and third place, followed by lemon drizzle and Victoria sponge*.
Since 2017 the partnership has raised over £3.5million. To find out more about how to get involved with the Blooming Great Tea Party visit https://www.spar.co.uk/community/marie-curie-tea-party/ or find your local Spar store here.