Charity partnership between Central England Co-op and Dementia UK hits £1.6 million total donated after year of fantastic fundraising feats
Posted by james brindle | Published: 07/01/2022
Central England Co-op is celebrating another year of support for charity Dementia UK which has seen it hit the £1.6 million mark for donations as colleagues and customers continue to find new ways to raise vital funds.
Dementia UK is the dementia specialist nurse charity. The charity’s Admiral Nurses provide life-changing care for families affected by all forms of dementia.
Central England Co-op has been backing the charity now for over four years and over the last 12 months colleagues and customers have continued to step up to show their support which has been more important than ever as it faces increased demand for its services during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Society’s food store and funeral teams have continued to hold regular events, such as raffles and cakes sales where restrictions have allowed, but the challenges of the pandemic have led to them looking for new ways to support the charity.
Fundraising feats during the last 12 months have included a Team Leader overcoming a fear of heights to complete the challenge of the fastest zipline in the world, a Customer Services Assistant marking her 50th birthday by taking on her first ever skydive and four young store colleagues completing the National Three Peaks Challenge.
A team of colleagues from Central England Co-op’s Funeralcare team also cycled over 23 miles around Rutland Water last summer for the cause.
There have also been virtual quizzes, marathons and car washes – all in all helping to raise thousands of pounds for Dementia UK and help reach the total of £1.6 million donated so far over the course of the partnership.
Hannah Gallimore, Social Change Manager at Central England Co-op, thanked colleagues and shoppers for their ongoing support.
She said: “After another great year of fundraising efforts by colleagues and customers we are thrilled to have now reached £1.6 million donated to Dementia UK through the four years we have been in partnership.
“Our colleagues continue to find new and creative ways to fundraise which reflects just how much this cause and the vital work they do has resonated. From the partnership we have seen how important the work Dementia UK and its Admiral Nurse service do for families is and this has only become more apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“As we continue to see how important the work of the Dementia UK Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline is to so many families and as we see the Admiral Nurse service grow into new areas as a direct result of our funding it only makes our colleagues more determined to keep fundraising.”
Admiral Nurses are there when people need help. They have the time to listen and the knowledge to solve problems and are a lifeline for families facing dementia. The Admiral Nurses work across a range of care settings within the community, hospitals, hospices and care homes.
The Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline is also 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: “Another year brings another fantastic achievement from our partners at Central England Co-op. The creativity that each employee has showcased with their fundraising, along with their passion to improve dementia support has been inspiring to see during a challenging year for families.
“With the support of Central England Co-op, more families can access the knowledge and compassion of a dementia specialist Admiral Nurse.”
Customers and members can continue to support Dementia UK by donating via Central England Co-op’s Just Giving fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/campaign/CentralEnglandCoop-supports-DUK
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 with interests in food, funeral, floral and property investment.
Owned by hundreds of thousands of members, its over 8,000 colleagues serve customers across 400 plus trading sites in 20 counties in the East and West Midlands, Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.
Its purpose is to inspire communities to create a sustainable Society for all.
It actively campaigns for the Government to increase sentencing for violent attacks on retail workers and works with FareShare Midlands and hundreds of food banks, generating enough food donations to create over 2.1 million meals for people in need.
The Society embraces inclusivity and equality and is a signed-up member to the Business in the Community (BITC) Race at Work Charter, while it is also fully committed to addressing the impact of climate change and is on track to be Carbon Neutral by 2030.
It invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities through its Community Dividend Fund scheme which has seen over £175,000 shared out between 116 good causes over the past 12 months.
Central England Co-op was named Leading Co-op of the Year by Co-operatives UK in 2021.
Press office contacts: Rob Smyth and James Brindle
Phone - 01543 421390
Email - publicrelations@centralengland.coop
About Dementia UK
Dementia UK is the dementia specialist nurse charity. The charity’s Admiral Nurses provide life-changing care for families affected by all forms of dementia.
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.
For more information visit www.dementiauk.org, follow Dementia UK on Twitter: @DementiaUK, and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DementiaUK/