13 June 2022
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington was in Cork on Friday, as part of a nationwide road trip to visit some of Ireland’s most deserving Community Groups thanks to the innovative SPAR Community Fund initiative. As the chosen winners, the Turner’s Cross based Spartan Boxing Club with four other organisations spread across Connacht, Munster and Leinster each received €2,000 in funding bringing the total invested by SPAR in Community initiatives over the last six months to €20,000.
More than 1,200 groups from around the country applied for the second wave of funding provided by the SPAR Community Fund. Spartan Boxing Club, Cork was selected as one of the lucky winners for the outstanding work they’ve done over the last number of years as well as their ability to continue to make a positive and lasting impact on the local community.
Kellie and representatives from SPAR spent time getting to know young boxers and coaches. Spartan Boxing Club is rooted in the community in Cork and were delighted to welcome Kellie Harrington through their doors today. The €2,000 from SPAR will help Spartan Boxing Club purchase training gear and will also be put towards new clubhouse improvements, which will enrich the experience of all its members.
SPAR retailers are committed to the hundreds of communities in which they are embedded working closely with many local clubs and organisations to enrich the lives of those they serve.
Speaking about the SPAR Community Road Trip, brand ambassador Kellie Harrington said:
“It’s great to be here in Cork today and to meet all those involved with Spartan Boxing Club. This initiative means so much to me. Over the course of the last six months, I’ve worked with SPAR who have invested an amazing €20,000 in the most deserving organisations. With that kind of money, we are making a real difference to the lives of people who are in need of a little support or a leg up. What we’ve achieved over the last number of months feels like the start of something special.”
Colin Donnelly, SPAR Sales Director, commented on the announcement:
“SPAR is delighted to continue working with Kellie and our network of stores around the country to further embed SPAR into the communities in which we operate. We’ve been blown away by the response, not just from clubs, but also the wider public, the media and our many store owners.
SPAR has always been a community-oriented organisation, we pride ourselves on being approachable and in tune with our customers. Kellie has been a great brand ambassador for us and we look forward to seeing just how impactful the fund will be over the coming week, months and years.”
SPAR recently announced a three-year partnership with Kellie in November 2021 that will see SPAR support Kellie on her journey to Paris 2024.
Picture: Mike English
Picture: Mike English
Picture: Mike English
