Starting on Wednesday 1^st October – International Coffee Day – the campaign will run until Saturday 4^th October. During this period, 50p from every Frank and Honest Coffee sold in participating stores will be donated directly to the brands’ charity partners to help fund life-saving services and health programmes.

Now in its fifth year, the ‘Espresso We Care’ campaign has raised almost £100,000 to date, including over £28,000 last year. These funds help keep Action Cancer’s Big Bus mobile clinic on the road, delivering breast screenings, health checks and skin cancer detection services. They also support Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke in providing care services and health promotion programmes for thousands of people living with, or at risk of developing chest, heart, and stroke conditions.

Maurice Cusack, Senior Marketing Manager at Musgrave NI, which owns the retail brands, said: “Supporting local is very important to Musgrave and our SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores. We’re proud of our long-standing partnerships with Action Cancer and Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke, and we’re pleased to bring back the ‘Espresso We Care’ campaign for a fifth year.

“We hope our caring customers will pick up a coffee when they’re in store and help us raise funds for two charities doing vital work in communities across Northern Ireland.”

SuperValu and Centra have been partnering with Action Cancer since 2001, and earlier this year reached a landmark £4 million in fundraising for the charity.

MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE

Gareth Kirk, CEO of Action Cancer added: “We are delighted that the Espresso We Care charity fundraiser is back again this year. Thanks to the continued support of SuperValu and Centra and their generous customers, we can bring our life-saving breast screening service, skin cancer detection and health checks to communities across Northern Ireland on the Big Bus.

“Please purchase a Frank and Honest coffee to support this fantastic initiative. Not only will you enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, but you will also be helping Action Cancer make a positive difference to the lives of local people.”

MACE’s partnership with Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke dates back to 2016 and has so far raised £418,000 for the charity.

Declan Cunnane, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke, said: “Chest, heart and stroke conditions affect at least 400,000 people in Northern Ireland, and we’re committed to supporting those living with these illnesses through our care services.

“We also deliver vital prevention programmes and support ground-breaking research to lead the fight locally against chest, heart and stroke conditions.  In the past year alone, over 36,000 people and organisations benefited from our services – but with almost 90% of our income coming from public donations, support from initiatives like this is essential.

“We’re grateful to Mace customers for their continued support and generosity and encourage everyone to pick up a coffee during the campaign. Every cup helps us reach more people and families across Northern Ireland.”

Starting at £2.90 for a Frank and Honest coffee, 50p from the sale of each coffee will be donated to the charities over the four-day period.

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Entering their 25^th year of loyal partnership in 2025, SuperValu and Centra stores have worked tirelessly for a quarter of a century to raise critical funds, enabling Action Cancer to provide life-saving services in local communities through the Big Bus as well as the Health Action Programme (HAP).

Over the last 25 years, Musgrave NI has funded 30,000 breast screenings, 30,000 health checks and 450 skin cancer detection appointments on board the Big Bus. In addition, there have been 2,576 Health Action Programmes delivered face-to-face in schools and 25 online sessions to local children in their classrooms.

The vitalness of Action Cancer’s service continues to be prevalent across NI as 20,000 people engage in the charity’s local services year on year, with the Big Bus making 200 visits throughout NI and 8,000 women screened for breast cancer every year.

Desi Derby, Director of Marketing at Musgrave said: “We’re committed to making a positive impact on the communities we’re part of and are thrilled to reach such a significant fundraising milestone for Action Cancer.

“Our retail partners, colleagues and indeed shoppers, across SuperValu and Centra have shown incredible support for 25 years now, we’re extremely proud of this and the difference it has made in aiding Action Cancer’s essential life-saving work. With cancer now affecting one in two people, there is no time to slow down, so we look forward to working alongside Action Cancer for many years to come”.

Gareth Kirk, CEO of Action Cancer added: “The support Action Cancer has received for the past 25 years and which it continues to enjoy today from Musgrave NI through its SuperValu and Centra brands, is both incredible and extraordinary.

‘We’re committed to making a positive impact on the communities we’re part of and are thrilled to reach such a significant fundraising milestone’

“£4million is an incredible amount of money; money which has ensured that our mobile screening clinic the Big Bus, has year-on-year been able to deliver its life-saving breast screening, skin cancer detection and health check services throughout the whole of Northern Ireland.

“We look forward to the next 25 years working together and in partnership delivering on our Mission: to save lives, support and improve quality of life for people in Northern Ireland through cancer awareness, prevention, detection and support.”

Making a real tangible and valuable impact, Musgrave, Ireland’s leading food retail, wholesale and foodservice company and the parent of SuperValu and Centra brands, began working with Action Cancer in 2001, which has led to life-saving interventions.

Fundraising highlights this year included the Espresso We Care initiative which saw 50p from the sale of every Frank and Honest coffee over four days donated, plus Sponsor a Mammogram, which challenged every store to raise £120 – what it costs Action Cancer to provide a free breast screening appointment to women outside of NHS screening age with no symptoms (40-49, and over 70).

In celebration of the 25-year milestone, Action Cancer has released additional breast screenings for women aged 40-49 or 70+ (those who fall outside of the NHS screening service age range), specifically for those who have no breast cancer symptoms (asymptomatic).

Women who are experiencing any breast cancer symptoms are strongly advised to contact their GP immediately. Breast screening appointments can be booked online at www.actioncancer.org/appointments or by calling 028 9080 3344. Please note that as this is a free service appointments book very quickly.

The post Musgrave NI and Action Cancer celebrate 25 years of partnership first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

The partnership between Action Cancer and Gordons Chemists, which is now in its 17^th year, has been an amazing success to date.

Staff have engaged in all sorts of innovative ways to raise funds over the years including raffles, fancy dress and bake sales, especially during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Mark Jones, Corporate Fundraising Executive at Action Cancer said: “We want to say a huge thank you to staff and customers of Gordons Chemists for their tremendous support, both in terms of raising funds and raising awareness, especially throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“We understand the difficulties in raising money in the current climate and we are grateful to everyone at Gordons for their continued support for our free breast screening service. The service is free to women, yet each screening costs Action Cancer £120. This year’s total of £16,570 will enable Action Cancer to provide 138 breast screenings to ladies right here in Northern Ireland.”

Melanie Talbot from Gordons Chemists added: “We’re delighted to raise another fantastic sum of money for Action Cancer, a partnership which has been going from strength to strength.

“Our staff work tirelessly throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month to collect donations and they are passionate about making sure that our customers know of the potentially life-saving services which Action Cancer can offer them.

“Our customers have played a massive part by donating so generously. We know that the money we raise for Action Cancer goes directly towards saving lives. We’ve seen a significant number of our customers have a cancer detected because of a screening made available to them by Action Cancer, and because a member of our staff encouraged them to make an appointment. Supporting Action Cancer is just one of the ways that we try to give something back to the communities we work in.”

Action Cancer is the only charity which provides free breast screening to ladies aged 40-49 and over 70, those who fall outside the NHS screening age range (50 – 70).

For more information on Action Cancer’s services, call 028 9080 3344 or visit www.actioncancer.org

The post Gordons Chemists raises vital funds for Action Cancer first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

This is the largest amount ever raised by the retail brands, which are part of Musgrave NI, in one year, and will help keep the charity’s mobile detection unit, the Big Bus on the road.

Fundraising initiatives throughout the year, including the Sponsor a Mammogram and the Frank and Honest coffee Time to Espresso we Care campaign, were ardently supported by SuperValu and Centra retailers and their teams, and by caring customers who gave so generously.

Desi Derby, Director of Marketing for SuperValu and Centra said: “I am absolutely delighted by the amount of money raised by our customers, retail partners, and colleagues for Action Cancer during 2023 and want to thank every single person who contributed, for their support.

“There are very few partnerships that have this type of longevity, and to have raised this incredible total in 2023, which was also Action Cancer’s 50^th anniversary year, demonstrates support for the charity is stronger than ever. I am very proud that these funds will help ensure the Big Bus continues to visit communities across Northern Ireland, saving lives, and enable Action Cancer to deliver its health education programme in schools across Northern Ireland.”

‘Without the incredible financial support of SuperValu and Centra, The Big Bus would simply not exist’

Gareth Kirk, Action Cancer CEO added: “The partnership between SuperValu and Centra is one of the longest and most enduring charity partnerships across these islands. Without the incredible financial support of SuperValu and Centra, the Action Cancer mobile clinic The Big Bus would simply not exist.

“The Big Bus is truly a one-off vehicle with no similar vehicle with onboard free breast and skin cancer detection services operating anywhere else in Europe.

“This life-saving service is only made possible through the incredible generosity of the Musgrave Group and its superb customers – thank you. Together we have not only made a difference to the lives of local people and communities, but through early detection of cancer, saved lives.”

In addition to 2023 being Action’s Cancer’s 50^th anniversary year, it was also a very special year for the Big Bus, the year when yet another unique life-saving service was introduced, a skin cancer detection service.

Throughout 2023, the Big Bus visited 119 communities across Northern Ireland. A total of 2,122 mammograms were completed, providing reassurance to women in these locations and detecting early-stage breast cancers in nine women, who had no symptoms. As a result of onboard health checks, 838 people were referred to their GP for further investigation. Nearly 600 men and women were assessed for a potential skin cancer resulting in some 9% being directly “red flagged” into the hospital system for further assessment.

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Caring customers donated generously to a range of fundraising initiatives, supported by SuperValu and Centra retailers and their staff, who are committed to helping the charity keep its mobile detection unit the Big Bus on the road, saving lives across Northern Ireland.

Desi Derby, Director of Marketing for SuperValu and Centra commented on the fundraising total: “Over the past few years, we have been faced with one challenge after another – first the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis.

“But against the odds, and thanks to the ongoing commitment of our retail partners and staff, our colleagues, and of course our loyal and generous shoppers, we have raised the most we have ever raised in one year, bringing our overall contribution to Action Cancer to £3.7 million.

“Sadly, we all know someone who has been affected by cancer and that makes us all the more determined to do what we can to ensure Action Cancer can continue to provide their vital life-saving services to women across Northern Ireland. We’re looking forward to marking Action Cancer’s 50^th anniversary with a renewed vigour for fundraising.”

GENEROSITY

Gareth Kirk, Action Cancer CEO, added: “The £200,000 raised in 2022 is incredible, a huge Action Cancer thank you and gratitude to all at SuperValu and Centra and its amazing customers, who despite the current financial situation, have once again given so generously.

“SuperValu and Centra are our longest and one of our most important partners. Their support makes it possible to operate the Big Bus and its services – our partnership works so well because of our shared values – planning hand-in-glove, making a difference to the lives of local people and communities.”

In 2023, Action Cancer’s 50^th anniversary year there are exciting plans for services onboard the Big Bus, made possible by the ongoing commitment of Musgrave NI.

‘We’re looking forward to marking Action Cancer’s 50^th anniversary with a renewed vigour for fundraising’

Action Cancer Ambassador Sinead Hoben, from Newry, who has availed of the free breast screening service onboard the Big Bus, and whose cancer was detected by the charity, shared her experience.

“Since turning 40, I have routinely gone for breast screening appointments at Action Cancer, both onboard the Big Bus and at Action Cancer House.

“Following my fifth screening in March 2019, at the age of 48, I received a letter from Action Cancer saying the mammogram had picked up something and needed further investigation.”

After attending a breast clinic at her local hospital, Sinead discovered she had breast cancer.

“Because I had been going for regular screenings, the cancer was detected early, and I did not need radiotherapy or chemotherapy. I am living proof that the early detection screening at Action Cancer saved my life. I’d definitely recommend women in their 40s and over the age of 70 to make an appointment on the Big Bus today.”

INITIATIVES

To reach the fundraising total of £200,000, initiatives from the retail brands included an International Coffee Day when SuperValu and Centra retailers pledged 50p from the sale of each Frank and Honest coffee purchased over three days to the charity, raising £17,000.

The brands also called on shoppers to ‘sponsor a mammogram’ and raise £120 per store – the amount it costs for Action Cancer to provide one woman outside of NHS screening age, with a free breast screening appointment.

The Centra Run Together series was back with a bang with the finale in Ormeau Park, Belfast welcoming over 800 participants and £20,000 raised across the events. SuperValu was proud to sponsor Breast Foot Forward in June when Belfast’s City Hall was a sea of pink as participants took on the 5k and 10k routes around the city.

Meanwhile, stores across the country also took part in many fundraising activities of their own including competitions, raffles and quiz nights.

The post SuperValu and Centra raise £200,000 for Action Cancer in year-long campaign first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.