Charity handed £5,000 boost thanks to families who said goodbye to a loved one at Bretby Crematorium

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 09/04/2018


A charity that provides specialist support to families living with dementia has been handed a £5,000 boost thanks to the generosity of families who have lost a loved one.

Dementia UK received the cheque from Bretby Crematorium Manager Nick French as a result of funds raised as part of a national scheme which, with the knowledge and permission from members of a deceased person's family, recycles metals left over once a cremation has taken place.

The process is undertaken with respect and dignity and is clearly explained to the families when they are making the funeral arrangements.

Traditionally any metal left after the cremation process would be given back to relatives or buried, but this scheme allows the crematorium to recycle it and use the funds to boost charitable causes.

Bretby Crematorium, based in Geary Lane, has now donated £10,000 in total in just a matter of months to Central England Co-operative’s corporate charity Dementia UK as a result of being part of the scheme.

The Society has so far raised over £182,000 for Dementia UK as part of the charity partnership.

Nick French, Crematorium Manager, said: “Everyone involved with Bretby Crematorium is delighted to have been able to hand over a second cheque worth £5,000 to Dementia UK in just a matter of months.

“But this donation would not have been possible without the generosity of the families who have agreed to be part of the scheme, which we have been involved with for several years together with many crematoria around the country.

 “What we often find is that our families fully embrace the chance to support such a worthwhile cause and create a legacy on behalf of their loved one who has passed away.

 “All of us here would like to say a big thank you to all the families who have helped us over the years and have supported charitable causes with this scheme.”

The funds will be used to help provide specialist support to families affected by dementia through the charity’s Admiral Nurse service and Dementia Helpline.

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 on 0800 888 6678 to anyone with queries or concerns about dementia. It is staffed entirely by Admiral Nurses, to ensure those with dementia and those caring for them get the best possible care and advice.

Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse and Chief Executive at Dementia UK, said: “We are so grateful for this generous donation from Bretby Crematorium. The funds raised will help support families facing dementia through our specialist Admiral Nurses. Dementia UK has ambitious plans to increase the number of Admiral Nurses across the UK which makes support like this so important. Thank you to everyone involved.”

 

Notes to editors

Picture caption: Bretby Crematorium Manager Nick French with Trish Pringle, from Dementia UK, following a donation of £5,000 to the charity.

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, and property.

 

The company’s funeral business consists of over 120 funeral homes across 16 counties, 10 florists, masonry production and administration, Bretby Crematorium and Terry Smiths coffin factory.

 

Central England Co-operative has more than 430 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 and funeral home development programme for 2018.

 

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, @mycooplife and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

 

Rob Smyth at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140

 

Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop