Five good causes share over £2,000 worth of food as Central England gets into the community spirit
Posted by nathan lloyd | Published: 05/10/2016
Central England Co-operative has donated over £2,000 worth of food to good causes across the area after purchasing the Budgens store on Lynn Road, Dersingham.
The food was shared between five different groups and organisations after being made available after the store closed its doors on Friday for two weeks while it undergoes a major refurbishment.
Sandringham Park House Holidays for the Disabled was given £1,000 worth of goods, the Purfleet Trust, which helps the homeless in Kings Lynn, received £600, £300 worth of stock was handed to Dersingham Primary School, Dersingham Social Club also received £300 of food to help support its annual children’s Christmas party, and Dersingham Day Centre for the Elderly accepted £250.
Paula Hall, chief executive of the Purfleet Trust, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you for the very generous donation.
“Purfleet Trust, along with many other charities, is facing new challenges in securing financial support to enable us to continue our essential work with vulnerable homeless people within our community.
“It is reassuring to know we have the local support we need to continue to provide help to all those who need us.”
David Campbell, Head of Food Operations at Central England Co-operative, said: “We are delighted to be preparing our new store in Dersingham and are excited about becoming part of the community.
“The key ethos that runs through Central England Co-operative is community and this is why we decided to reach out to groups and organisations in the local area to offer them a helping hand.
“We were delighted to give away over £2,000 worth of stock and to help those that support others across the area.
“We look forward to continuing to become part of the Dersingham community in the coming weeks, months and years.”
The store is currently undergoing a two-week refurbishment worth £650,000 that will see the introduction of a new product range, brand new refrigeration that will feature the latest in technology to minimise environmental impact and an extended range of chilled beers and wines.
The existing 37 strong store team will receive extensive training ready for opening and will be on hand to answer any questions from local residents.
Shoppers can pick up a free daily paper along with other giveaways while the new Co-op store is being refurbished, simply pop along to our mobile site to meet the team and find out more.
The store will re-open at 7am on Thursday 13 October and will trade from 7am – 9pm Monday-Friday 7am-8pm on a Saturday and 10am-4pm on a Sunday.
It will offer a wide range of products from everyday necessities to something a little more special. The store offer will include: fresh and local fruit and vegetables, an in-store bakery offering breads and pastries, chilled beers and wines, fresh and frozen product, Irresistible product ranges, Costa Coffee, Bake and Bite – hot food to go and a great selection of cold food to go.
The store will also offer; Paypoint, Collect Plus, lottery, foreign currency, a free car park and a free cash machine.
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 projected gross sales of £958million for 2016/17. The Society recently celebrated being named Leading Co-operative of the Year 2016 by Co-operatives UK. The Society’s principal areas of activity are food, funeral services, and property. 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 development programme for 2015/16.
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 Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.
For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth / Jo Baldock at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop