A.F. Blakemore allocated £38,000 to five charities and community organizations in its trading areas through the Spar Community Cashback initiative for 2026. The funds support projects across the Midlands, southern England, and Wales, selected from thousands of applications submitted nationwide. Delivered through Spar’s network of regional wholesalers, the initiative enables retailers and wholesalers to invest directly in causes that matter most to the communities they serve.
The largest individual grants, £10,000 each, were awarded to RNLI Margate and Penryn Rugby Club. RNLI Margate will use its allocation to rebuild its station, improving facilities for volunteers and lifeguards while ensuring the RNLI can continue delivering its vital search and rescue service. Claire Johnson, representing RNLI Margate, described the grant as essential for sustaining operations, noting that the lifeboat station remains critical with so many people visiting Margate and its surrounding beaches. Volunteers from RNLI Margate recently received their £10,000 cheque in recognition of their efforts. Penryn Rugby Club intends to carry out essential repairs to its historic clubhouse, which functions as a community hub for over 500 residents, with members present at the donation presentation.
Three smaller grants of £6,000 each went to Burtwood’s Pathway Project in Staffordshire, which provides support for victims of domestic abuse; the Children’s Sailing Trust in Cornwall, focusing on youth programs for children with special educational needs; and The Dragon Theatre in North Wales, which will expand its dementia support services. Burtwood’s Pathway Project and The Dragon Theatre in Barmouth also received £6,000 cheques as part of the funding.
The funding reflects Spar’s approach, where regional wholesalers distribute retailer cashback earnings to local causes. This year’s UK-wide initiative allocated £96,000 to 23 organizations, with A.F. Blakemore’s £38,000 forming part of the wider distribution. Caoire Blakemore, a board director at A.F. Blakemore, highlighted the company’s long-standing commitment to community support, emphasizing that the grants were chosen based on direct input from Spar retailers, who identified the most urgent local needs.
