Leicester Co-op stores join forces to boost three good causes following events across 2019
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 20/12/2019
Central England Co-op colleagues from across Leicester have spent the past 12 months putting on a wide range of community events to raise thousands of pounds for a trio of great good causes.
Workers from stores in the area have undertaken everything from car boots, cake sales, fun days and even a charity Christmas night featuring a visit from Santa to boost the coffers of the Leicester Hospital Charity Trust, Dementia UK and the Sian Green Foundation.
Some of the events that took place during 2019 included hosting stalls at the Leicester Riverside Festival, a sponsored silence at a store and also the collection of toys based on a wish-list provided by Leicester Royal Infirmary Children's Ward.
Maggie Smith, Groby Village Co-op store manager, is one of the core group involved with organising the events across the year.
She said: “Our charity fund-raising has been taken to another level this year and we pride ourselves in making a difference in the local communities.
“This year we have taken part in more local community events than ever before and, as a result, our teams have been able to able to build better relationships with our local communities and raise more money for Dementia UK, Leicester Hospital Charity Trust and the Sian Green Foundation.
“A massive thank you and well done to all of our charity organisers Michelle Smith, Abby White, Sally Smith, Elaine Rowley and Rich Clarke for making this possible and everyone else who has helped us make a major difference for three great causes.”
This great community works comes as Central England Co-op celebrates the fact that its first-ever Christmas Toybox Appeal saw customers and members donate over 12,000 presents during the month of November. These gifts were then collected in and handed out to a range of good causes including Rainbows Hospice and Hinckley Food Bank.
Notes to editors
Picture caption: Staff from Central England Co-op’s Groby Road food store visited Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) Children's Ward to handover over £7,000 worth of donations and toys to support poorly youngsters.
The Sian Green foundation funds better quality or specialty prosthetics for amputees.
Dementia UK supports families affected by dementia through their Admiral Nurse service. 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. It has been the corporate charity of Central England Co-op for the past there years.
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 2019.
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 member 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 and James Brindle at Central England Co-operative on 01543 421390
Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop