Central England Co-operative invests nearly £2 million on new fleet of funeral vehicles
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 23/06/2017
Central England Co-operative Funeralcare has invested nearly £2 million on a new fleet of vehicles to enhance the choices on offer to those who have lost a loved one.
The seven-figure sum has been spent on a total of 19 new hearses and limousines that will service all funeral homes across the 16 counties in which the Society operates.
The new fleet comes in silver rather than the more traditional black as part of an effort to offer families more choice and to cater for a rise in demand for the personalisation of funerals.
Kevin Crute, Head of Funeral at Central England Co-operative Funeralcare, said: “This significant investment showcases our commitment to our funeral homes and our commitment to ensuring our families have the best choice on offer to them.
“Our new fleet will mean families will have access to the most up-to-date vehicles, but also that they are now able to have a choice between silver or black to ensure that the vehicles are more in line with the planned funeral of their loved ones.
“The feedback for our new fleet has been excellent and we are pleased to use this investment to further enhance memories and loves for our bereaved families.”
The first part of the new fleet was delivered to the King’s Lynn area and was deemed to be a major success.
This resulted in a fleet of silver Mercedes vehicles being purchased and based at sites such as Leicestershire and Birmingham to ensure that families who visit any of the Society’s funeral homes can have access to them.
Central England Co-operative funeral homes offer a 24-hour service, seven days a week.
In addition to arranging funerals, the funeral teams are also able to offer advice on floral tributes, monumental masonry, funeral stationery, pre-paid funeral plans
and probate advice.
More information is available by visiting www.centralengland.coop/funeral-services or calling 0800 454 552.
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 projected gross sales of £927million for 2016/17. The Society recently celebrated being named Leading Co-operative of the Year 2016 by Co-operatives UK. The Society’s principal areas of activity are food, funeral services, and property. The company’s funeral business consists of over 120 funeral homes across 16 counties, 10 florists, masonry production and administration, Bretby Crematorium and Terry Smiths coffin factory.
Central England Co-operative has more than 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. The Society has an ambitious food store and funeral home development programme for 2017.
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 Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children 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, @mycooplife and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop