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A Newry based charity supporting families affected by road traffic collisions has received a grant to help future proof its services, along with a Bangor based search and rescue organisation.
The Road Ahead NI and K9 Search & Rescue NI each received £1,000 as part of SPAR NI's Community Cashback Grant initiative, which delivers an annual £20,000 in grants to local charities.
with K9 Search and Rescue dogs Travis and Boo and Bethany Priestley (centre)
from SPAR NI, receiving £1,000 as part of the 2026 SPAR Community Cashback
Grant.
The Road Ahead NI provides a free, specialist service supporting individuals and families affected by road traffic collisions. Since becoming a registered charity in 2025, demand for its services has grown significantly, reflecting both the scale of need and the trust placed in the charity by communities and professionals alike. The grant will go towards funding specialised trauma counselling for children and adults affected by road traffic collisions, providing localized support and reducing barriers such as travel and waiting times.
K9 Search & Rescue, based in Bangor, works alongside police and other emergency services and agencies to bring swift resolution to high risk incidents. A team has recently travelled to Venezuela to help victims of the earthquake that has devastated the country. The charity's volunteers give countless hours to training, callouts and community engagement, ensuring operational readiness at all times, directly contributing to saving lives and reducing stress for families during emergency situations. The grant will go towards purchasing a new engine for the organisation's operational boat, which plays a vital role in water based searches, particularly in rivers, lakes and coastal areas where missing persons cases are often time critical and require specialist access.
Bethany Priestly from SPAR NI commented: “We are very proud that our SPAR stores reach so many communities across Northern Ireland. Each and every one of our stores is a hub for our local communities, which is what makes our Community Cashback Grant so special and a vital source of income for many organisations that our shoppers care about.
“Both K9 Search & Rescue and The Road Ahead NI provide support for families at their worst moments, providing the expertise to make a difference and bring some light to an unthinkable situation. We are delighted this grant will help them both sustain and grow their services.”
Over 400 organisations applied for this year's Community Cashback Grant, which is now in its seventh year and has distributed £140,000 to 60 organisations since 2020.
