Grieving widow went from heartbreak to hope thanks to Central England Co-operative

Posted by nathan lloyd | Published: 01/09/2016


Anita Bolton has bravely revealed how she used the experience of losing her husband to kickstart a new career to help others grieving the loss of a loved one – thanks to Central England Co-operative.

Anita first came into contact with the Society after the tragic death of her husband in 2011 following his battle with cancer.

The team at Central England Co-operative Funeralcare were on hand to help her with all the necessary arrangements and took care of everything for her; they also provided details about Heart in Diamond, a company that allows people to remember their loved ones by having their ashes or a lock of their hair turned into a diamond.

She was so impressed by the work of the company that she decided to join Heart in Diamond in a move that means that she now works closely with the very people at Central England Co-operative funeral care that helped her during her difficult time. 

Anita, now The Heart in Diamond Operations Manager, said: “I sadly lost my husband in December 2011 after a short fight against cancer. Staff at Central England Co-operative helped give my family a very special funeral.

“I went to collect the ashes and that was when I was given a Heart in Diamond leaflet.

“I thought it was a beautiful way for me to remember my husband. I had never heard of the process at all. I had a white diamond created and my young son had a blue diamond.”

The discovery of the company and what it did was a turning point for the former Materials Planning Manager.

She added: “I wanted to find a new job that involved me sharing my expertise in a different type of business.

“I decided that not many people had heard about having a diamond made after you had a lost a loved one.

“I contacted Heart in Diamond to see if they had any roles that would be suitable for me.

“My life then changed when I started working for the company in January 2013 as Operations Manager for the UK.”

Anita spoke passionately about the work undertaken by the company as part of efforts to help those who have lost a loved one.

She said: “Today families are looking for modern options to remember loved ones.

“The founders of Heart in Diamond have extensive experience in diamond marketing and manufacturing.

“The team creates beautiful family heirlooms that will be passed through many generations. Their unique product is created with the use of personal carbon – ashes or hair.

“Most recently we have been involved in special projects creating a diamond out of the Bideford Black Rock in Devon and using grass from Derby County’s ground for the Melanoma Cancer Charity.

“We have been working with Central England Co-operative for several years now and focus on building new and exciting initiatives.

“We have a dedicated team to support funeral homes and provide a personal service to clients where requested.”

Helen Lee, client journey lead at Central England Co-operative Funeral care, spoke about the link between the Society and Heart in Diamond.

She said: “Our purpose is to enhance memories and love for our families by offering them choice. Heart in Diamond is a key part of that choice as the firm offers something unique and personal to families to memorialise their loved one in such a beautiful way.

“It is wonderful to know that we played a part in supporting Anita during such a difficult time. It is comforting to know that Anita is now able to support bereaved families herself through her work.”

More information on Heart in Diamond and Central England Co-operative is available by visiting https://www.centralengland.coop/funeral-services


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. The company’s funeral business consist of over 120 funeral homes across 16 counties, 10 florists, masonry production and administration, Bretby Crematorium and Terry Smiths coffin factory.

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 and funeral home 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 http://www.centralengland.coop follo,w Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, @mycooplife and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth / Jo Baldock at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop