People with mobility issues in Lowestoft can now get around more easily thanks to Central England Co-op grant

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 12/04/2019


A group that offers support and equipment to those with mobility issues in Lowestoft has been showcasing a brand new scooter - paid for with funds from Central England Co-operative.

Members of Lowestoft Shopmobility now have the £2,000 scooter to help get around town thanks to a grant from the retailer’s Community Dividend Fund.

The group linked up with colleagues from the Co-op Food Store, in Ashburnham Way, Carlton Colville, to officially handover the vital piece of equipment.

Margaret Oldham, Chairman of Lowestoft Shopmobility, said: “The scheme was formed 22 years ago to improve the quality of life for anyone with mobility impairments.

“Some of the older mobility scooters which we hire out can no longer be repaired, so we were delighted to hear that a grant from the Central England Co-op Community Dividend Fund will enable us to buy a new, large pavement scooter, which will be used by our members to do their shopping independently."

Jason Vincent, Carlton Colville Team Leader, said: “We are delighted that Lowestoft Shopmobility has been handed a grant for the fantastic work they do in the community.

“Community Dividend Fund grants like this showcase how being a member and continuing to support Central England Co-op helps us as a Society continue to invest and fund vital projects in the local area.”

Grants of between £100 and £5,000 are handed out every three months to a wide range of applicants.

The fund guarantees that at least one per cent of the Society’s trading profit is reinvested in local communities in a bid to help projects to thrive across its trading area of 16 counties from the Midlands to the east coast.

People can apply for funding by visiting https://communities.centralengland.coop/

 

Notes to editors

 

Picture caption: Members of Lowestoft Shopmobility and colleagues from the Central England Co-op Food Store, in Carlton Colville, at the presentation of the brand new scooter.

 

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