Co-op raises over £780,000 for Dementia UK to help pay for specialist nurses in Leicestershire

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 01/08/2018


Central England Co-operative has said a big thank you to its colleagues, customers and members in Leicestershire for helping to raise over £800,000 for its corporate charity partner Dementia UK in just one year.

The Society has been supporting the charity for the past 12 months and during that time people across the area have done everything from jumping out of planes and undertaking gruelling feats of endurance to holding cake sales and organising village fetes to raise vital funds for the good cause.

Over £280,000 was handed over in the form of donations, with a further £516,000 from money raised by Central England Co-op via the 5p carrier bag levy.

The money has been used to help pay for the creation of nine specialist Admiral Nurses, additional vital training and the ongoing staffing of the free Dementia Helpline.

In Leicestershire, the funds have been used for two Admiral Nurses specifically for the area after new figures showed that by 2020 over 10,000 people in the county will be living with dementia.

Following the success of the past year, the Society is today delighted to announce that it has agreed to continue its fundraising partnership with Dementia UK for another 12 months.

Central England Co-operative Chief Executive Martyn Cheatle said: “I am delighted to announce that we will continue to partner with Dementia UK for 2018/19.

“Over the past 12 months, colleagues, customers and members have helped raise vital funds for this great charity and helped make a real difference. I cannot thank them enough for their dedication.

“It is great to know that, as a community retailer and responsible business, our donation of over £800,000 will help improve the lives of those living with dementia, and those who love and care for them, in our trading area, leaving a lasting impact for many years to come.

“We are excited to be working with Dementia UK for another 12 months and we all cannot wait to continue to get behind the charity and support its vital work in helping to tackle this increasing issue.”

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 Dementia Helpline is available to anyone with queries or concerns about dementia.  It is staffed 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: “Dementia is one of the biggest health issues of our time with more families than ever in need of specialist dementia support.

“We cannot thank everyone at Central England Co-operative enough for their efforts in helping more families face dementia. We are looking forward to their continued support over the next year. ”

Customers and members will be able to continue to support Dementia UK by donating via collection tins when they visit Food Stores, Funeral Homes or Travel Shops, and colleagues will be undertaking a wide range of different fund-raising events to help raise funds during the next 12 months.

To find out more about Dementia UK visit www.dementiauk.org

 

Notes to editors

 

Picture caption: Central England Co-operative Chief Executive Martyn Cheatle celebrates the launch of the Society’s new corporate charity partner for 2017/18 Dementia UK with its Chief Executive Hilda Hayo and Society President Elaine Dean.

 

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, travel shops, 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 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, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

 

Rob Smyth / Heather Clapton at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140

 

Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop