Kids of Co-op workers ask customers to follow social distancing and ‘keep their parents safe’

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 29/05/2020

Children of Central England Co-op store colleagues will soon be heard by customers shopping for vital food and essentials asking people to adhere to social distancing to help ‘keep their parents safe’.

A selection of youngsters have recorded special messages that will be played out via the instore radio urging people to follow the social distancing measures in place in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.

In Burton, Store Manager Paul Barratt’s daughter Amelia and team leader Nikki Marshall’s children Nevaeh and Eoghan will soon be heard in store.

Amelia said in her message: “We are in lockdown due to the Coronavirus and our dad, Paul, is working in the Central England Co-op store in Stapenhill. We are asking you to follow the social distancing guidelines and pay for shopping with contactless as we want our dad to be safe and come home to us.”

Nikki said: “They both really enjoyed making the recording for the radio, and it has been such a boost to hear them and the other children in store when I am working.”

Steve Lavender, Store Manager at Maple Avenue, in Ripley, is represented by his son Tom.

Tom said: “Please make sure you follow the social distancing guidelines to protect people like my dad.”

Hollie and Phoebe can be heard asking people to look after their mum Michelle Eastwood, from Weston Road store, in Stafford.

They said: “Our mummy Michelle works at the Weston Road Co-op. Please help our mummy and all of her friends in store by remembering to keep to social distancing. Stay safe and have a lovely day.”

Social distancing measures in place across stores include:

• Stores using every other till point or checkout to keep customers and colleagues a safe distance apart
• Special markings installed in front of till points and checkouts of at least one metre. If a customer needs to enter this area to place down a basket or use the keypad, colleagues move backwards to maintain a safe distance
• Special markings installed to showcase two-metre safe distances while queueing at till points
• Customers are asked to pay with card or contactless if possible
• Specialist cleaning products are used to regularly wipe down the countertops and chip and pin machines, ATMs, baskets and trolleys
• Special markings installed throughout stores to showcase to customers two metre spacing and customers are asked to maintain these distances while shopping
• Special markings installed outside stores so customers queuing to enter maintain safe distances of two metres

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

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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 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 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