Co-op customers help create over 444,000 meals for people at risk of going hungry thanks to £111,000 donation to FareShare

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 30/12/2020

Central England Co-op shoppers showed ‘goodwill to all’ this Christmas by enjoying the retailer’s Irresistible product range and raising over £111,000 to feed people at risk of going hungry.

Throughout December, any purchase made in the retailer’s 262 food stores of products from its Irresistible range saw it donate five per cent from the sale of each product to FareShare Midlands to help ensure families struggling in these uncertain times can enjoy Christmas without fear of going hungry.

This saw customers and members pick up thousands of items from yule logs to pigs in blankets resulting in a total donation to FareShare Midlands of £111,000 – helping to provide over meals to ensure people at risk continue to eat well and stay healthy.

Hannah Gallimore, Central England Co-op Corporate Responsibility Manager, said: “We are do delighted to see the generosity of our customers and members shine through once again by raising £111,000 for FareShare Midlands at a time when it is receiving such high levels of demand.

“Our long-standing relationship with FareShare has had a life-changing impact for people in our communities in the years we have been working together and as the demand for support continues to grow during these uncertain times we are proud to stand with them to help those in need.

“Christmas is the time of goodwill to all and our shoppers have once again showed that by supporting us and FareShare Midlands this festive season. But, most importantly, so many families in need have been handed a vital boost at a special time of year – a boost they otherwise might not have had.”

Simone Connolly, director for FareShare Midlands, said: “We’ve seen thousands of families struggling this year, and the need for food carries on rising as the effects of the pandemic continue to be felt. The ongoing support from Central England Co-op and its customers this year has been incredible, and enabled us to reach so many more families and children who might otherwise go hungry. Having help putting food on the table is a lifeline to so many, especially at this time of year, and we’re very grateful to everyone who has generously donated to make this happen. Thank you!”

This continued focus on tackling food justice compliments years of work by the retailer and its partners to try and alleviate the issue in its communities.

It has long campaigned for more to be done to ensure that no child ever goes hungry and works with over 65 food banks as well as FareShare Midlands to help create hundreds of thousands of meals for those at risk falling hungry throughout the year.

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.

Co-operatives have always been there for their communities; they were formed to protect them and help them flourish. 

Our 7,900 colleagues who serve Members and customers work hard to ensure that co-operative values, principles and spirit flow through everything we do to help support and improve our local communities.

Owned by hundreds of thousands of Members, we have over 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. 

We are proud of our reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.

We invest a percentage of our trading profit into local communities through our Community Dividend Fund scheme, have donated over £1.4 million to our corporate charity partner Dementia UK and also operate a pioneering food redistribution partnership with FareShare Midlands so unsold food goes to those in need.

Visit www.centralengland.coop for more information or follow us on Facebook or Twitter using @mycoopfood

Press office contacts: Rob Smyth and James Brindle

Phone - 01543 421390

Email - publicrelations@centralengland.coop