Derg retailers promoting locally sourced fresh food

PROMOTING the benefits of eating locally-sourced fresh food as part of a healthy lifestyle for pupils and shoppers in Castlederg was the aim of a recent showcase hosted by two Tyrone retailers.

As part of the showcase, retailers Charlie and Ruth Hamilton of Hamilton’s Spar, Castlederg, and fruit supplier, Keelings Fruit, have been working with Edwards Primary School and St Patrick’s Primary School to teach the pupils the joys of healthy eating.

Recently, Neil Farragher and Susanne Moran from Keelings hosted an assembly for the Primary Ones to Primary Threes of both schools to encourage the pupils to think about their food choices and wellbeing.

Keelings also made a generous donation of £500 to each school, which will be used to hold sporting events to promote fitness and a healthy lifestyle to the pupils.

Each child also received a lunch box filled with locally-sourced fruit, while teachers and parents received a goody bag sponsored by Simply Fruit, Gilfresh, Milgro and Mash Direct, to help continue the message of healthy eating through the classroom to home.

Meanwhile, Hamilton’s Spar also exhibited the best of Northern Ireland’s local food producers during a ‘Local Supplier Showcase’ recently at their Castlederg store.

Among those sampling and demonstrating their tasty fayre in-store were ‘Simply Fruit’ and ‘Gilfresh Produce’ from Armagh, Milgro Onions from Limavady, and Ireland’s largest fruit and vegetable distributor, Keelings.

All producers gave shoppers the opportunity to sample their products, enjoy exclusive promotions and speak directly to suppliers about the journey of their food from field to fork.

Shop local

Hamilton’s Spar, Castlederg, continues to show support to their local community and beyond, with 75 per-cent of fresh foods in Henderson Group and independent stores being sourced from local suppliers across Northern Ireland.

The showcase not only highlighted the offering available to shoppers in store, but also the range of local suppliers and quality produce available across the country.

Charlie Hamilton said that the showcase provided the ‘perfect’ opportunity to celebrate the ‘amazing suppliers’ of the North.

“We have amazing suppliers in Northern Ireland, and it’s always been important to us to support local,” he said. “Being part of the community, we wanted to make an impact on local teachers and parents, but also on the younger children in our local schools, encouraging them to think about their lifestyle and healthy eating.

“It’s always been important to us to show support to any local schools in our area and we welcome all opportunities to engage with our future customers,” he added.

“I especially want to thank Keelings for visiting the schools to deliver the important message directly, and for their generous donations!”

Charlie and Ruth Hamilton have the local community at the heart of their businesses as they own three stores across Tyrone; first opening Hamilton’s Spar, Newtownstewart in 1979, followed by Spar Castlederg in 1995, and then, three years later, their Tamlaght Road Spar, opened its doors in Omagh.