Five Central England Co-operative stores in Burton and South Derbyshire back Feed our Families

Posted by nathan lloyd | Published: 06/12/2016

Five convenience stores across Burton and South Derbyshire have thrown their weight behind the Burton Mail’s Feed Our Families campaign in a bid to help those in need this Christmas.

Central England Co-operative confirmed its stores in Overseal, Willington, Stapenhill, Hatton, and Branston will all feature a visible collection point in the run up to Christmas.

Shoppers will then be able to donate items which will support Burton YMCA and Swadlincote CVS during the festive season.

Nicholas Wilkinson, Overseal Food Store Manager, said: “One of the key elements that forms part of everything we do at Central England Co-operative is ensuring we support and help the community which we serve.

“This is why we wanted to throw our support behind Feed our Families and help those who might be in need this festive season.

“All we ask customers to do is to donate what they can at the special collection points in our stores in the run up to Christmas.”

Last year more than 10,000 food items were dropped off at a number of donation points across the area – helping hundreds of people – as part of the campaign.

Collection points will welcome any non-perishable foods that can be easily stored by the charities and then handed out over the festive season.

Beans and soup tend to be the most commonly given items so alternative foods items to those are particularly welcome.

Other items that can be donated include coffee, teabags, sugar, cereal, tinned items, rice, biscuits, and chocolate.

The support of Feed our Families by Central England Co-operative comes on the back of the Society now having permanent food bank collection points throughout many of its food stores.

Customers are encouraged to purchase a few extra items when shopping in their local co-op food store and add them to the donation bins throughout the year.

Good choices include, cereal, tinned food, sugar, rice, dried pasta, biscuits, UHT milk, UHT fruit juices, tea, instant coffee and essential toiletries.

During Christmas 2013, Central England Co-operative Society trialled in-store food bank collection for the first time and the target is to have as many food stores partnered with a food bank as possible by the end of 2016.

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. It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with projected gross sales of £958million 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. 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 development programme for 2016/17.
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.
For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth / Jo Baldock at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop