Independent SuperValu stores across Northern Ireland have helped their community partner Action Cancer beat the credit crunch by raising £24,000 in a week-long fundraising drive, organised to keep the charity’s Big Bus service moving.

Celebrating the second anniversary of the service SuperValu customers and staff were asked to donate their 20 pence pieces in a unique fundraising event entitled ‘the SuperValu 20p Challenge’.  In spite of a general downturn in consumer spending the generous shoppers and SuperValu workers came up trumps. The fundraising total equates to a total of 120,000 20ps.

The Big Bus, a state-of-the-art mobile cancer screening and health promotion unit, is costing £1.5 million over the first three years, with £612,000 of that figure being funded by SuperValu. In the first two years almost 9,000 people have used early detection, cancer prevention and support services housed on the Big Bus, at over 400 locations.

SuperValu Brand Manager Jackie McCloskey, right, joins Action Cancer patron Nuala McKeever, centre and Action Cancer Corporate Fundraising Officer Kerry McCrea to celebrate the success of the fundraising project.

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