Central England Co-op celebrates hitting £1 million fundraising milestone for Dementia UK
Posted by james brindle | Published: 13/03/2019
Central England Co-operative is today delighted to announce that it has raised an incredible £1 million for its corporate charity partner Dementia UK, the provider of specialist dementia support.
Dementia UK is the only charity caring for people with dementia and their families with specialist dementia nurses - Admiral Nurses.
The Society has been supporting the charity for the past 18 months and during that time people across 16 counties have done everything from jumping out of planes and undertaking gruelling feats of endurance to holding cake sales and organising village fetes to raise vital funds for the good cause.
Over £483,500 was handed over in the form of donations, with a further £516,500 from money raised by Central England Co-op via the carrier bag levy.
The money has been used to help pay for the creation of nine specialist Admiral Nurses, additional vital training of Admiral Nurses and the ongoing staffing of the free Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline.
Central England Co-operative Chief Executive Martyn Cheatle said he was extremely proud to hear the £1 million milestone had been reached.
He said: “To hit this major milestone is a massive achievement and I’m extremely proud of everyone involved with the Society for helping us to reach this incredible amount.
“I would like to praise the dedication of our colleagues, members and customers because without their support we would never have been able to raise £1 million for this great charity.
“As a community retailer and responsible business, this significant donation will help improve the lives of those living with dementia, and those who love and care for them, in our trading area, leaving a lasting impact for many years to come.”
Admiral Nurses work alongside people with dementia and their families and offer one-to-one support, expert guidance and practical solutions so they can face dementia with more confidence and less fear. The Nurses work across a range of care settings within the community, hospitals, hospices and care homes.
The Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline is available to anyone with queries or concerns about dementia. It is open seven days a week and staffed entirely by Admiral Nurses, to ensure those with dementia and those caring for them get the best possible care and advice.
Dr Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse and Chief Executive at Dementia UK, said: “This milestone is a culmination of some truly impressive fundraising from our partners at Central England Co-op. Through their dedication and passion to the cause, we have not only raised awareness of dementia but also enabled more families to access the unique and specialist dementia knowledge and skills of Admiral Nurses.
“The Central England Co-op also deserves recognition for understanding the challenges that people living with dementia may face in their everyday lives. The trial of slow checkout lanes for people with dementia in a Derbyshire and a Leicestershire store was a true reflection of this. We hope this will provide inspiration for other organisations in building a society which respects the needs, rights and wishes of people living with dementia.”
Customers and members will be able to continue to support Dementia UK by donating via collection tins when they visit Food Stores, Funeral Homes or Travel Shops, and colleagues will be undertaking a wide range of different fundraising events to help raise funds during the coming months.
To find out more about Dementia UK visit www.dementiauk.org
Notes to editors
About Central England Co-operative
Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK.
It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, travel shops, and property investment.
Central England Co-operative has over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. The Society has an ambitious food store development programme for 2019.
Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility. It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence. The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.
Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop
For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth and James Brindle at Central England Co-operative on 01543 421390
Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop
About Dementia UK
Dementia UK provides specialist dementia support for families through its Admiral Nurse service.
If you need advice or support on living with dementia contact Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or email helpline@dementiauk.org. The Helpline is staffed by experienced Admiral Nurses, who give vital support by telephone or email.
Dementia UK’s website can be found at https://www.dementiauk.org/