Central England Co-op supports local schools to adapt to social distancing with donation of special floor markings

Posted by james brindle | Published: 25/06/2020


Lichfield-based retailer Central England Co-op has given support to two local schools as they look to introduce their own social distancing measures with a donation of special floor markings used in its food stores.

Like all retailers, Central England Co-op has had to move quickly to introduce social distancing measures in all its stores as part of its work to keep its colleagues, Members and customers safe and healthy in these uncertain times.

Its stores feature a range of measures, from one-way systems to plastic screens on checkouts, as well as special floor markings to help direct customers to ensure the two-metre rule is adhered to when queuing at the checkouts and outdoors.

As these markings have been updated in recent weeks, the retailer had dozens of older versions in stock so decided to help support two local Lichfield schools by donating them to help as they look to introduce measures for their children’s return.

Caroline Maddox, Channel and Content Manager at Central England Co-op, said: “As guidelines change and as we continually update the measures we have in place in our food stores, we had a number of floor vinyl stickers which we no longer required.

“It was Jody Meakin in our team who had the idea to donate them to local schools as we know they, like all schools, are facing the challenge of introducing social distancing measures as they adapt to the ‘new normal’.

“The stickers are simple footstep designs so will be perfect to clearly highlight to the schoolchildren and staff the distances they need to keep, and I’m delighted we have been able to support them.”

The 150 stickers have been donated to Chadsmead Primary Academy and Willows Primary School, near to Central England Co-op’s headquarters in Hermes Road.

Gemma Grainger, Head teacher at Chadsmead Primary Academy, took delivery of the stickers and said the school were ‘enormously grateful’ for the support from the retailer.

She said: “We, like many schools across the country, are facing up to the challenge of introducing social distancing measures and educating our children about the ‘new normal’ as they return to school.

“It is great that a local business such as Central England Co-op has thought about the support it can offer to us as we embark on this process and these great floor stickers will be really helpful to us and are gratefully received.”

People can keep up to date with what is happening in their local community by visiting a dedicated online hub at www.centralengland.coop/updates

 

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 with interests in food, funeral, floral, travel and property investment.

Co-operatives have always been there for their communities; they were formed to protect them and help them flourish. 

Our 7,900 colleagues serving our Members and customers work hard to ensure that co-operative values, principles and spirit flow through everything we do to help support and improve our local communities.

Owned by hundreds of thousands of Members, we have over 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. 

We are proud of our reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.

We invest a percentage of our trading profit into local communities through our Community Dividend Fund scheme, have donated over £1.3 million to our corporate charity partner Dementia UK and also operate a pioneering food redistribution partnership with FareShare Midlands so unsold food goes to those in need.

Visit www.centralengland.coop for more information or follow us on Facebook or Twitter using @mycoopfood

Press office contacts: Rob Smyth and James Brindle

Phone - 01543 421390

Email - publicrelations@centralengland.coop