Central England Co-op supports the community and aims to minimise the impact of Brexit
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 10/12/2020
Central England Co-op is reassuring its customers, members and communities that it is taking significant steps to help minimise the impact of Brexit.
The retailer, which has over 240 stores across 16 counties, has plans in place to mitigate potential issues caused by the exit from the European Union.
It has already strengthened its already robust distribution network, forged new relationships with local suppliers and established a range of partnerships with local firms to provide access to food and vital essentials, should the need arise.
Central England Co-op Chief Executive Debbie Robinson said: “As a co-operative retailer, we want to make sure we are always there as a vital resource for our communities.
“We are working hard with our suppliers to maintain regular supply levels; as a community retailer we know how important it is for everyone to have access to good quality food and vital essentials.
“We believe that these measures and the work of our colleagues will allow us to support our communities during the months ahead.”
The Society will be continuing to work with over 65 food bank partners with instore donation points, and its pioneering partnership with FareShare Midlands to redistribute food and create over one million meals a year for local good causes goes from strength to strength.
The retailer is also promoting its Community Dividend Fund to allow immediate financial support for good causes, groups and charities to help communities deal with the impact of these uncertain times.
People can find out the full criteria and how to apply for funding by visiting https://www.centralengland.coop/community/
Notes to editors
Picture caption: Debbie Robinson, Central England Co-op Chief Executive.
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 and property investment.
Co-operatives have always been there for their communities; they were formed to protect them and help them flourish.
Our 7,550 colleagues who serve 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 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.
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