Central England Co-op invests over £2 million in Derbyshire to create jobs and improve stores and funeral homes
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 13/09/2017
Central England Co-operative has revealed it has invested over £2 million as part of ongoing efforts to improve the experience of customers across Derbyshire.
The Society has opened two brand new food stores, revamped four others and also refurbished two funeral homes – creating dozens of jobs and spending £2,221,000 in the process.
Members and customers have already been flocking to the new sites in Main Street, Horsley Woodhouse, and Southchurch Drive, Inkersall, to take a closer look at the new fixtures and fittings including the latest in pioneering new energy efficient refrigeration technologies to minimise environmental impact and LED lighting.
Other sites to have received investment include petrol station in Haddon Road, Bakewell, and Chesterfield Road, Duckmanton, food stores in Grangewood Road, Chesterfield, and Alfreton Road, Little Eaton, and funeral homes in Swadlincote and Allenton.
The work in Derbyshire is part of an ambitious food store and funeral home development programme for 2017, with further investment planned in the area throughout 2017 and into 2018.
Gary Bonsall, Inkersall Central England Co-operative Store Manager, said: “Our team were so excited to finally allow our members and customers to see our new store. The store looks fantastic and already customers have been making many positive comments about how it looks and the different products and services now available.”
Horsley Woodhouse Central England Co-operative Store Manager Paul Robinson said: “All of us here at Central England Co-operative Food Stores across Derbyshire are proud to be part of such a great community and are looking forward to welcoming all customers, old and new, to come and enjoy our new and revamped food stores.”
The two new food stores were opened with a special ribbon cutting ceremony and a Golden Ticket Giveaway that saw customers win prizes ranging from new televisions to Co-op vouchers.
Ward and Brewin Funeral director Samantha Platt said: “Our first priority is to enhance memories and love for all of our families and we are very pleased to offer that at our homes across Derbyshire.
“We feel it reflects our commitment to providing excellent standards of care for our families during their time of bereavement.”
Customers and members will also be able to enjoy a range of community benefits as a result of the Society’s investment in Derbyshire.
Last year, thousands of pounds were handed out to groups in the city from Central England Co-operative’s Community Dividend Fund. A total of 89 groups shared £160,000 during 2016.
The fund guarantees that at least one per cent of the Society’s trading profit is reinvested in local communities in a bid to help projects to thrive across its trading area.
Martyn Cheatle, Chief Executive of Central England Co-operative, said: “The Community Dividend reflects a key principle of our society, in that we reward the loyalty of our customers by investing in and supporting local communities.
“The scheme helps to benefit a wide variety of projects, with grants between £100 to a £5,000, which will make the communities that we serve a better place for our members to live, work and visit.”
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time they spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund.
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
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 gross sales of £927 million in 2016/17. The Society’s principal areas of activity are food, funeral services, 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 2017.
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 / Heather Clapton at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop