CENTRA AND SUPERVALU RAISE RECORD-BREAKING £4MILLION FOR LIFE- SAVING ACTION CANCER SERVICES IN NORTHERN IRELAND
~ Musgrave NI and Action Cancer celebrate 25 years of partnership ~
SuperValu and Centra retailers have officially raised over £4million in fundraising for Action Cancer, a record-breaking amount achieved by a company for an individual charity in Northern Ireland.
Entering their 25th year of loyal partnership in 2025, SuperValu and Centra stores have worked tirelessly for a quarter of a century to raise critical funds, enabling Action Cancer to provide life-saving services in local communities through the Big Bus as well as the Health Action Programme (HAP).
Focused on cancer prevention, detection and support in communities across Northern Ireland, Action Cancer delivers health promotion and improvement programmes, digital breast screening, health checks, skin cancer detection assessments as well as support and therapeutic services.
Over the last 25 years, Musgrave NI has funded 30,000 breast screenings, 30,000 health checks and 450 skin cancer detection appointments on board the Big Bus. In addition, there have been 2,576 Health Action Programmes delivered face-to-face in schools and 25 online sessions to local children in their classrooms.
The vitalness of Action Cancer’s service continues to be prevalent across NI as 20,000 people engage in the charity’s local services year on year, with the Big Bus making 200 visits throughout NI and 8,000 women screened for breast cancer every year.
Desi Derby, Director of Marketing at Musgrave said: “We’re committed to making a positive impact on the communities we’re part of; and are thrilled to reach such a significant fundraising milestone for Action Cancer. Our retail partners, colleagues and indeed shoppers, across SuperValu and Centra have shown incredible support for 25 years now, we’re extremely proud of this and the difference it has made in aiding Action Cancer’s essential life-saving work. With cancer now affecting one in two people, there is no time to slow down, so we look forward to working alongside Action Cancer for many years to come”.
Gareth Kirk, CEO of Action Cancer added: “The support Action Cancer has received for the past 25 years and which it continues to enjoy today from Musgrave NI through its SuperValu and Centra brands, is both incredible and extraordinary. £4million is an incredible amount of money; money which has ensured that our mobile screening clinic the Big Bus, has year on year been able to deliver its life-saving breast screening, skin cancer detection and health check services throughout the whole of N .Ireland.
“The support received from SuperValu and Centra staff and their customers, has resulted in young women having their breast cancer detected early, young and old a skin cancer detected and others a health check leading to a GP referral.
“Extraordinary, for in the charity world, corporate / charity partnerships rarely, if ever, continue for 25 years. Our enduring partnership is based very much on a mutual respect for each other and our shared Values and Common Goals of making a positive difference to local people living in local communities throughout N.Ireland.
“We look forward to the next 25 years working together and in partnership delivering on our Mission: to save lives, support and improve quality of life for people in Northern Ireland through cancer awareness, prevention, detection and support.”
Making a real tangible and valuable impact, Musgrave, Ireland’s leading food retail, wholesale and foodservice company and the parent of SuperValu and Centra brands, began working with Action Cancer in 2001, which has led to life-saving interventions.
Fundraising highlights this year included the Espresso We Care initiative which saw 50p from the sale of every Frank and Honest coffee over 4 days donated, plus Sponsor a Mammogram, which challenged every store to raise £120 – what it costs Action Cancer to provide a free breast screening appointment to women outside of NHS screening age with no symptoms (40-49, and over 70).
Action Cancer Ambassador Nicola Somerville had her breast cancer detected on board the Big Bus when it visited Fruitfield SuperValu store in May 2023 when she was aged 48.
Nicola said: “I have availed of breast screenings on board the Big Bus since the age of 40. I attended every 2 years and was very organised about booking an appointment. I realised the importance of this service and was keen to avail of it. I found the mammograms themselves to be absolutely fine, I had no pain, and I was in and out in twenty minutes.
“I am very thankful for the Big Bus service, coming to towns and villages like mine and making this service more accessible to busy women outside of Belfast. I have encouraged work friends, family and friends to avail of the screening. We’re really fortunate to have this free service as it doesn’t exist anywhere else in the UK or Ireland so it’s really important that you book an appointment, it could save your life.”
In celebration of the 25-year milestone, Action Cancer has release additional breast screenings for women aged 40-49 or 70+ (those who fall outside of the NHS screening service age range), specifically for those who have no breast cancer symptoms (asymptomatic).
Women who are experiencing any breast cancer symptoms are strongly advised to contact their GP immediately.
Breast screening appointments can be booked online at www.actioncancer.org/appointments or by calling 028 9080 3344.
