Co-op invests £350k in its stores and funeral homes in Leicester - with more planned for 2018
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 17/07/2018
Central England Co-operative has revealed it has invested nearly £350,000 so far this year as part of ongoing efforts to improve the experience of customers across Leicestershire.
This has been used to revamp five Food Stores, a Funeral Home and help launch a first-of-its-kind Funeral Arrangement Office – securing dozens of jobs and investing £343,000 in the process.
Members and customers queued around the block to take a closer look at improved Food Stores in Burbage, Markfield, Overslade, Mountsorrel and Eyres Monsall.
Burbage Central England Co-op Store Manager James Barker said: “Our teams have been so excited. “The revamps looks fantastic and customers have been making many positive comments about how it looks.”
The investment has been used to install pioneering energy-efficient refrigeration technologies to minimise environmental impact and LED lighting.
Asian Funeral Company, based in Melton Road, has been upgraded and £50,000 has spent on a new Funeral Arrangement Office in Broughton Astley.
This new and innovative funeral site – the first of its kind in the Midlands - will offer a vastly superior look and feel for families including modern colours and new furniture and has been placed at the heart of the high street.
Funeral Director Karen Poole said: “This is a very exciting time for my team and we are proud to be part of the community in Leicestershire.
“We feel our new home in Broughton Astley reflects our commitment to providing excellent standards of care and ensures that we can help people in the local area during their time of need.”
The work in Leicestershire is part of an ambitious Food Store and Funeral Home development programme for 2018, with further investment planned in the area throughout 2018 and into 2019.
Several sites are set to receive a further cash injection for improvements in the coming months including Wigston, Market Harborough, Blaby, Shepshed and Wyngate Drive, in Leicester.
New stores are also in development in Ashby and Hugglescote.
Eyres Monsall Avenue Store Manager Paul Lakin said: “All of us here at Central England Co-operative Food Stores and Funeral Homes across Leicestershire are proud to be part of such a great community and are looking forward to welcoming all customers, old and new, to come and enjoy our new and revamped sites now and in the future.”
Customers and members will also be able to enjoy a range of community benefits as a result of the Society’s investment in Leicestershire.
Last year, thousands of pounds were handed out to groups in the county from Central England Co-operative’s Community Dividend Fund. A total of 28 groups and charities shared over £53,000.
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.
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time they spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund.
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
Notes to editors
Picture caption: Colleagues from Central England Co-op’s Funeral Arrangement Office in Broughton Astley were all smiles on launch day.
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 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