SPAR Banbridge team raise over £1,000 for B Positive charity

B Positive was created by Adam Watson and his parents, David and Sara.

At the age of seven years old, Adam was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) and courageously battled with hope and positivity, before passing away in August 2022 at just nine years old.

Adam’s parents, David and Sara, have continued the charity in Adam’s legacy, helping to improve the patient and carer experience on the Children’s Haematology and Oncology ward.

B Positive provides families on the wards with a suitcase to keep their belongings in while in hospital, filled with toiletries and towels for patients and their carers, as well as a bespoke blue blanket, all to help make stays in hospital easier.

Sara came up with the idea for the suitcases through their own experience of living in and out of hospital, for which they found always having a suitcase packed and ready to go helped them immensely.

Several members of the store team took part in challenges to fundraise for the charity.

Ruth, Deli Manager at SPAR Banbridge, braved an ice bath at the store, enduring ice cold water for five minutes.

Ruth, alongside Kirsty, the store’s Community Representative, also took part in the Walk of Light earlier this year, which aims to shine a light on blood cancer, like the AML Adam was diagnosed with.

Tiarnan, Customer Advisor and Deli Assistant, got involved by letting other team members wax his legs in aid of the cause.

The team also had a number of bucket collections in store, which shoppers generously donated to.

Conor, store manager, commented, “The Banbridge-based charity is one which all the staff and local community are passionate about, and B Positive can only continue their amazing work through donations, so it was very important to us to fundraise, raise awareness and show our support.

“Well done to Ruth, Tiarnan and the whole team at our store for their fundraising efforts. We want to thank all our shoppers and those in the local community who have supported us, helping us raise a fantastic total for a very deserving and local charity.

“All the staff had a great time getting involved and raising vital funds for the charity, even shoppers and those from the community got involved in the ice bath to show their support and boost donations!”