Central England Co-op aims to help surge in demand by launching Easter Foodbank Appeal across Norfolk and Suffolk

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 05/03/2018


Central England Co-operative is urging customers and members across Norfolk and Suffolk to help people in need by supporting its Easter Foodbank Appeal.

The Society recently collected over 60,000 items as part of its successful Christmas Foodbank Appeal – which helped create over 16,000 meals – and now wants to replicate this success during the build up to Easter.

The Easter Foodbank Appeal is urging customers and members to drop off one or more items – ranging from food to toiletries - into store foodbanks from 19 March to 2 April.

The items will then be collected up, turned into parcels with enough food to create meals for three days and distributed to help people in need across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Some of the stores taking part include ones in Mulbarton, Diss and Great Yarmouth.

Martyn Cheatle, Central England Co-operative Chief Executive, said: “Everyone involved with the Society was delighted with the amazing response by customers and members to our Christmas Foodbank Appeal and this is why we have decided to help people in need this Easter.

“Our Christmas campaign saw enough food donated to create 5,500 food parcels and make a real difference in our communities.

“We want to continue to help people by continuing our great work with foodbanks and this is why we are launching our Easter Foodbank Appeal to encourage our customers and members to help provide vital food and supplies for people across the area.

“All we are asking is that people drop off one or more items into our foodbanks this Easter and help make a real difference.”

Items that can be donated include shopping basket staples from tea, sugar and cereals to other essentials such as toiletries and hygiene products to ensure people can maintain their dignity during times of crisis.

Hannah Worsley, from Norwich foodbank, operates a foodbank for people in need in the area and is backing the Society’s Easter Foodbank Appeal.

She said: “We have to remember that there are people who are in very difficult situations who need our help and support.

“During Easter we ask for people not to only donate chocolate or Easter eggs, but the vital everyday items we need such as cereal, tinned meat and fish, UHT milk, tinned rice pudding, long life sponge pudding and long life fruit juice.

 “Just one item would make a huge difference to help us as a foodbank ensure that people do not go hungry.”

Central England Co-operative Society has permanent food bank collection points in hundreds of its stores all year, which have resulted in thousands of people every month from Birmingham to Norfolk being given enough food to cook meals.

The Society works with over 50 different foodbanks to provide emergency food and support to individuals and families in crisis throughout the year.

A film has been produced to showcase the importance of supporting foodbanks at Easter. It can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72cNnjvUFWw

The Easter Foodbank Appeal will run from 19 March to 2 April and items can be dropped off in special Easter egg-themed foodbank bins at Central England Co-op food stores.

A full list of the stores taking part in the appeal can be found by visiting www.centralengland.coop/beingcoopy

Notes to editors

Picture caption: Central England Co-operative colleague Shane Lewis is urging customers and members in Birmingham to get behind the Easter Foodbank Appeal

Sidebar:

Key items needed by foodbanks during Easter:

  • Cereal
  • Tinned food
  • Sugar
  • Rice
  • Dried pasta
  • Pasta
  • Sauce
  • Biscuits
  • UHT milk
  • Fruit
  • Juices
  • Tea
  • Instant coffee
  • Toiletries

 

Embed code: Please use the code below to embed our video within your website or to share via social media:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/72cNnjvUFWw" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>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, 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 / Heather Clapton at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140

 

Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop