Communities urged to send ‘thank you’ cards, messages and drawings to their local Central England Co-op store

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 25/11/2020

Communities are being encouraged to say ‘thank you’ to staff at their local Central England Co-op for working around the clock to provide food and essentials during these uncertain times.

Customers and Members have been asking the retailer, which has over 240 stores across 16 counties, how they can show their gratitude to colleagues at their nearest community store.

So, its colleagues came up with the idea of asking people to send cards and thank you messages and children to draw or paint pictures which will then be showcased in store community spaces or windows at the front of the shop for all to enjoy.

Ashley Carter, Central England Co-op store manager, said: “Our teams have been working so hard for their communities and that is why it is so nice when people go out of their way to say thank you.

“It always gives colleagues a major boost and we think that if people would like to send a card or paint a picture it would bring a smile to the faces of so many people during these uncertain times.

“The messages of support could also include thanks to other frontline workers such as NHS staff as we are all in this together.

“We cannot wait to receive any messages of thanks and then display them in our stores as a pat on the back for our colleagues and as a constant reminder of why being part of our communities is so important to us all, especially during times like these.”

All anyone who would like to support the Central England Co-op ‘thank you’ campaign has to do is drop off their card, drawing or message at their local store where it will be then displayed in the coming weeks.

Some of the messages will also feature as part of a special blog at centralengland.coop/updates alongside up-to-date information on what else the retailer is doing to support the local community following the Coronavirus outbreak.

Notes to editors

Picture caption: Ashley Carter, Central England Co-op store manager.

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, travel 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 £1.3 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