THE team at Wall’s EUROSPAR Springfield Road are preparing to launch an all-new fundraising initiative in-store – the Big Daisy Day Out – in aid of Cancer Fund for Children.
On Saturday 26th September, shoppers at EUROSPAR Springfield Road can enjoy coffee, tea and a wide range of cakes and sweet treats during a traditional coffee morning, all in exchange for a donation towards the charity.
The Big Daisy Day Out, which is proudly supported by Barista Bar Coffee, sees over 90 EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA stores host a range of activities across the weekend of the 25th – 27th September.
In the lead up to the event, shoppers have been picking up a free daisy colouring template instore for children to decorate and return to be part of the daisy chain which will be displayed in stores across the weekend.
Cancer Fund for Children fundraises year-round, with September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month providing a focused opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of childhood cancer on young people and families.
Cancer Fund for Children Young Ambassador Lucy (13), from Belfast, has been supported by the charity since her mum Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2023. Prior to her mum’s diagnosis, Lucy’s family were already navigating her older sister Leancha’s diagnosis of ovarian cancer in March 2021. Leancha sadly died in August 2023. Leancha’s husband Christopher and daughter Meabh have also been supported by Cancer Fund for Children following Leancha’s diagnosis, throughout treatment and ultimately their bereavement.
The support provided to the entire family during some of the most difficult times in their lives has been invaluable, helping them to cope with the emotional impact of cancer, grief and loss.
Seeing first-hand the difference the charity made to her family inspired Lucy to become a Young Ambassador, using her voice and experience to support other young people impacted by cancer.
Lucy commented, "The opportunity I had to meet people through Cancer Fund for Children that understood me, who were going through similar things and to hear their stories, was really helpful for me. So, I became a Young Ambassador because I think it’s important to be heard and listened to, and because I’d seen the impact that sharing your story can have, especially for young people to hear from other young people. I want people to know that it’s not just the person who has the diagnosis that’s impacted, but it impacts the whole family, and Cancer Fund for Children do so much for the whole family.
“I know the impact of it because I’ve lived it. I love being a Young Ambassador, it’s given me so much more confidence, it feels good to be able to share my story, raise awareness and knowing that doing so can have a positive impact. It really means a lot when people support Cancer Fund for Children because when they do, they’re supporting families like mine, and they’ve helped me so much."
Phil Alexander, CEO at Cancer Fund for Children commented, “I would like to extend a huge thank you to EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA store teams and their shoppers for their ongoing support. The Community Coffee mornings have gone from strength to strength every year and it’s fantastic to see the refresh into the Big Daisy Day Out this year, welcoming shoppers to enjoy a full weekend of exciting activities in their local store. The dedication and passion to fundraising from the stores and shoppers is invaluable to us and to the families we support.”
Keavy O’Mahony-Truesdale, Barista Bar’s National Brand and Business Development Manager, commented, “We’re proud to support EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA stores for their community coffee mornings year on year, and the store teams always go the extra mile to welcome shoppers and encourage donations. We look forward to seeing what the Big Daisy Day Out brings to local communities this year.”
Bethany Priestley from EUROSPAR NI added, “At the start of this year we celebrated 15 years of our charity partnership and raising an amazing total of £2.2 million for Cancer Fund for Children. This incredible milestone reflects the commitment and dedication of our store teams and generosity of our shoppers. This year, it felt like the right time to refresh our coffee mornings and introduce the Big Daisy Day Out.
“The coffee mornings played a huge role in raising over £2 million for the charity, this refresh will enable creativity for our store teams and shoppers and provide even more of an opportunity for our stores to connect with their local communities.
“Over the years, this partnership and money raised has allowed Cancer Fund for Children to reach even more young people and their families to support them through diagnosis and beyond. This is such an important weekend, and we look forward to welcoming shoppers to EUROSPAR Springfield Road to get involved and enjoy the Big Daisy Day Out, while raising money for such a deserving charity.”
For all the details on how stores are getting involved and to donate, visit eurosparni.co.uk/community/cancer-fund-for-children.
