Central England Co-operative donates four vehicles to help people in need in Syria and Africa
Posted by nathan lloyd | Published: 01/05/2017
Four vehicles used by Central England Co-operative in its Food and Funeral businesses are now set to be used to help people in need across the globe.
Colleagues from the Society’s Food Distribution Centre, in Scudamore Road, Leicester, have revealed that two 26-tonne lorries have been donated to the National
Police Aid Convoy team – one will be used to transport medical goods to Syria and the other filled with hospital beds and equipment before being shipped to Accra, Ghana.
The Society’s Funeralcare business is also donating two vehicles to Lusaka, in Zambia, to help support the United Churches of Zambia.
Robin Farrell, Head of Distribution and Logistics, said: “As a responsible and co-operative business, we are delighted to be able to use four vehicles, which have helped us serve our customers so well over the years, to now help people in need across the world.
“We are proud to be working the National Police Aid Convoy team and supporting them in their efforts to make a difference for people all over the world.
“At Central England Co-operative, we pride ourselves on our reputation as an ethical business and focus on corporate responsibility. This donation is a great example of us giving back and supporting others in need.”
UK National Police Aid Convoys is a volunteer run charity that has been running for 24 years and is based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
Its membership is drawn from all walks of life and it uses its influence to deliver donated items to areas of the world where need is identified through poverty, war or natural disaster.
David Scott, Trustee Chairman of UK National Police Aid Convoy, said: “We are extremely grateful for this magnificent donation.
“These vehicles will be filled and dispatched in the next few weeks to communities where they can do the most good.
“Towns and cities in Syria have seen all their vehicles confiscated or destroyed. This is a small but significant step to rebuilding. The cold storage on the lorries will be particularly useful.
“The hospital beds and equipment loaded into the vehicles from the Society’s Funeralcare business is made up of donations from the closing Brandon Unit in Leicester, redundant stock from Kings Mill Hospital, Mansfield, and mattresses and equipment from hospitals in Derby and Chesterfield along with clothing and shoes.”
Notes to editors
Photo caption: Representatives from UK National Police Aid Convoy receive four vehicles from Central England Co-operative that will be used to help disadvantaged people across the globe.
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 recently celebrated being named Leading Co-operative of the Year 2016 by Co-operatives UK. 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 Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children 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 http://www.centralengland.coop follww 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