Community, Commitment And Passion Makes Up The Millions For Henederson Retailer's Charity Efforts

In the years since retailer and wholesaler Henderson Group was established, there are clear and tangible results which show their contribution to community, employment, charitable organisations, and commitment to local industries and the environment is more than just a tick-box CSR exercise.

To the Group, its retailers and staff, there is a clear energy which runs throughout all of their actions, whether its group volunteer days with local schools to learn about their careers or climbing a mountain in aid of one of their charity partners. Every action thatthe Group and its employees make, matters and makes a difference for those on the receiving end of it.Henderson’s EUROSPAR and VIVOXTRA brands have just announced they have smashed through the £1,000,000 mark for their charity partner, Cancer Fund for Children – the first corporate partnership to reach such a milestone for the organisation, which has been running since 1973 and partnered with Henderson’s for the past eight years.

Bronagh Luke, Head of Corporate Marketing at Henderson Group says the milestone is a testament to the drive their retailers have for the charity; “We have 67 EUROSPAR and VIVOXTRA Community Supermarkets across Northern Ireland, and each has contributed significantly towards this total – and not just in pounds and pence.

“Over the years, team members have been unbounding in their support for the charity and are always keen to be part of worldwide treks and community fundraisers as many have had their own experiences of childhood cancer where lives have been inexplicably changed.

“They know that their time and efforts really make a difference to those that the charity helps, through their support services and their respite centre, DaisyLodge in Newcastle, Co. Down and that is why they have always gone the extra mile. They are our million-pound makers.” The past eight years have seen teams take on treks from Slieve Donard to the Great Wall of China, launch the ‘Hug in a Mug’ recipe book which was sold at all outlets with 100% of sales going to the charity, as well as in-store fundraising and local events. By 2016, five years in to the partnership, the £500,000 milestone was met.

In 2017, the first ever Community Coffee Morning was launched and surpassed all expectations, raising almost £40,000 in one morning. In the same year, another £250,000 was added to the total and £750,000 was celebrated. The event that broke the Group through the £1m mark was the third annual Community Coffee Morning in March 2019, which has become the charity’s biggest corporate partner event. Across 60+ outlets, teams laid out traybakes and offered coffee and tea all in return for a donation, with many ensuring a host of family fun throughout the morning. It raised an incredible £62,545.63.

Bronagh continued; “We reach every community in Northern Ireland through our stores, which is why it is important for us to ensure we have strategies in place to be able to give back and work hard for our neighbours.”

In real, tangible terms, £1,000,000 could provide over 1,000 families (or 5,000 individual family members) with a therapeutic short break to Daisy Lodge or provide 555 families (or 2,775 individual family members) with support from a Community Specialist in the family home to help alleviate isolation and fear.

Bronagh added; “To have reached this incredible figure only spurs our teams on to keep going for Cancer Fund for Children. They are an organisation that is clearly making a difference to the lives of those affected by childhood cancer, and we’re very proud to be part of their story.”

In 2008, Henderson Group launched Tomorrow Matters. This would be the Group and all of it’s company’s guide and written commitment to their People, Place and Planet going forward.

As one of the biggest employers in Northern Ireland, the Group’s corporate responsibility encompasses community initiative support and sponsorship through their retailers as well as support for career initiatives with local

schools, colleges and universities.The aim is to continue to develop

the business in a way whichis beneficial to both staff andcustomers, while having a positiveimpact on society as a whole.The Group has supported

numerous charities over the years, and includes Marie Curie, Tearfund, NI Hospice and theSimon Community as its partners alongside Cancer Fund for Children.Retailers in every community also support smaller, on the ground initiatives that are making strides for several causes, from local family support to beach cleans and countryside tidy ups.

There are also now over 220 Automated External Defibrillators fitted outside SPAR, EUROSPAR and VIVO stores and supermarkets in every town across Northern Ireland. This was an initiative set up in 2015, spearheaded by Bronagh Luke and supported by NIAS and the Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, Dr Michael McBride.

It is the largest network of these lifesaving devices that are available 24/7 in Northern Ireland.

Bronagh continued; “Whilst we’re hugely proud to have installed that many, it is also important to ensure staff and members of the community are trained in CPR, which is why we have worked with NIAS to train up thousands over the past few years.”

Henderson Group has set a standard for Corporate Social Responsibility in Northern Ireland and will continue to remain conscious and vigilant to support evolving needs from employment to sponsorship and charitable giving here.

“ We reach every community in Northern Ireland through our stores, which is why it is important for us to ensure we have strategies in place to be able to give back and work hard for our neighbours.”

Their impact will be felt for years to come, showing that Tomorrow does Matter.