Funeral directors to host sleepout to raise funds and shine light on homelessness in Burton
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 06/11/2018
A team of Burton Funeral Directors will be sleeping out in the cold to raise awareness and funds to help tackle the issue of homelessness in the town.
Central England Co-operative Funeralcare Senior Funeral Director Fiona Thompson and her team will be heading out from 8pm to 8am on Saturday, 17 November in support of Burton Hope.
The organisation was launched in August 2017 as part of an effort to bring together volunteers to help people in need from the homeless to the elderly.
It operates out of Burton Market Place every Saturday and Sunday and hands out over 100 food parcels every single week.
Fiona said: “Our link-up with Burton Hope came about after we were really struck by the rising levels of homelessness in and around the town.
“We then heard about the great work that Burton Hope was undertaking and decided that it was a good cause that we could support.
“So we have been to see what they do and also dropped off some food parcels, but we knew there was even more we could offer in terms of support.
“So we have organised a sleepout to raise awareness and funds for Burton Hope. Me and several of my colleagues will be spending the night sleeping in the yard at Wellings Funeral Home to experience what it is like to be homeless and at the same time shine a light on the work that Burton Hope do in and around Burton.
“Homelessness is a major issue in the town and we want to be part of something that is making a difference locally.”
Fiona will be supported in the fundraising sleep-out by colleagues from Central England Co-op Funeral Homes across Burton and South Derbyshire including Funeral Directors Sam Platt, Kerry Marcer, Rachel Walsh and Ruth Johnson, Senior Funeral Administrator Kay Crispino, Senior Funeral Services Assistant Justine Parker and senior leaders Mike Taaffe, Jo Mills and Marc Palmer.
Burton Hope Chairman John Anderson said: “We at Burton Hope are very excited about the sleepout event being run by Fiona and her team from Central England Co-op.
“It will help raise awareness of homelessness endured by many in our town and it will also raise some much needed funds to keep our food bank and clothes bank in operation. "
Anyone who would like to support Fiona and her team and do so by calling 01283 563555.
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 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 at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop