SPAR Fry’s Road honoured with a ‘Contribution to Community’ award
Eamon McKillop and family with the award.
EAMON McKillop’s SPAR on the Fry’s Road in Ballymena, is celebrating after being formally recognised by SPAR UK, at its recent bi-annual conference, for its outstanding contribution to the local community.
Over the last ten years, this family-run business has worked hard to support the local area, through job creation and supporting numerous local groups and charities.
The McKillops store is a second generation family run business, retaining its family atmosphere with Eamon’s wife and children also working with him in the store.
Eamon believes that being at the heart of his community helps him retain customer loyalty and remain strong, despite the tough local competition.
His staff are all from the local area and many have been employed for over ten years. Having a core of staff that are from the surrounding area, means that Eamon is able to tap into a wealth of local knowledge that is vital when developing the store’s local relationships and knowing about activities in the local community.
Eamon has contributed to the community in many ways over the years by. He generously provided free water bottles to the Ballymena Swim Club and the Ballymena Rugby club. The store has raised money for national charities such as £1000 for Action Cancer and £1000 for the NSPCC, which was raised by running a golf day for local suppliers.
Eamon and the store has worked hard to invest in making the lives of the youth in the local areas better, through sponsorship and organising events. Over the last year, the store provided sports day kits to local schools, had Paddington Bear visit Castletower Special Needs school and St Brigid’s primary school; plus sponsored the Ballymena Swimming Club, St Patrick’s basketball team and North End United soccer team. The store also took a class in St Brigids to see the Belfast Giants and brought a player to the school.
Eamon and his wife Anne-Marie have also put a great deal of personal time into his local community, helping out with some local sports clubs.
It is for this and more, that bought Eamon’s store to the attention of SPAR UK, who were blow away by the level of time Eamon and his team dedicate to the local community. The award was presented by SPAR UK to one store from each of its regional areas, at its bi-annual conference which took place in Miami. SPAR UK was looking for a store that has gone that extra mile to serve their local community and that had shown and continues to show outstanding service to the locally outside of the store environment.
Speaking on this recognition, Eamon McKillop said: “I am absolutely thrilled to receive this award. However, both the team and I do not do any of it for the glory; we are honestly passionate about the local area and committed to doing our part. Our shoppers have continued to remain loyal to our store and we want to thank them by giving back. We have many events and sponsorships planned in already for the year ahead.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my team for their ongoing hard work and dedication. Without them, none of it would be possible.”
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Weather for Ballymena
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 8 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
