One million pieces of PPE delivered to frontline nurses across the South West thanks to SPAR shops

An innovative ‘PPE Click & Collect Service’ organised by SPAR South West has been shortlisted for the 2021 Business Charity Awards ‘Best Covid-19 Partnership’ having now delivered over 1 million pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Marie Curie Nurses working on the frontline during the pandemic.

Marie Curie Nurses have relied on PPE to continue delivering vital care to dying people, with and without coronavirus, throughout the pandemic. SPAR South West has helped the charity to deliver the vast quantities of vital PPE needed to their frontline staff by transporting PPE around the region and enabling nursing staff to pick it up from their local SPAR store.

Across the South West, Marie Curie Nurses use an average of 21,000 pieces of PPE a week. Thanks to the generosity of South West SPAR wholesaler Appleby Westward, Marie Curie Nurses have been able to collect their PPE, including face masks, aprons, gloves, visors, goggles, and hand sanitiser from their local SPAR store.

Since May 2020:

• over 1 million pieces of vital PPE have been delivered safely to Marie Curie Nurses
• More than 45,000 day and night nursing shifts have been able to take place for over 2,400 patients
• Over 130,000 nursing hours have been protected thanks to SPAR’s support.

Marie Curie Healthcare Assistant Liz Marshall from the South West Nursing Service has worked for the charity for 11 years and says:  “It’s a privilege to care for people at the end of life and support families across the South West, especially during these difficult times. PPE has been vital for us to continue working during the pandemic. Before the help of SPAR South West, we were depending on our volunteers and our own nurses to count out the equipment needed and drive it miles. Now, I can pop into my local SPAR store and pick it up. I’ve even been able to do a bit of shopping at the same time.

“At a time when coronavirus has had, and continues to have, a devastating impact on our fundraising, this initiative has helped the charity save vital funds. So, on behalf of the nursing service, I would like to say a big thank-you to SPAR for making this possible.”

Nick Kenworthy, Sales Director for Appleby Westward, said: “We feel incredibly privileged to be partnered with Marie Curie and to have played a small part in helping their community nurses continue such essential care during this difficult time. Thank you to our independent retailers and company owned stores for making this possible.”