Youngsters in Norfolk enjoy a trip of a lifetime in a limo - thanks to Central England Co-op funeralcare
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 30/08/2017
Deserving youngsters who excelled during the school year have been given a once-in-a-lifetime treat – a VIP ride home from School in a limousine.
Colleagues at Central England Co-operative Funeralcare, in Wootton Road, King’s Lynn, joined forces with South Wootton Junior School to come up with the unique prize for youngsters who were being rewarded for their excellence.
Youngsters Mollie Gallon and Bailey Garrod were handpicked and completely surprised with a luxurious trip home in a brand new silver limousine.
Traci Hipkin, Funeral Administrator at Central England Co-operative Funeralcare, said: “I contacted head teacher Jonathan Rice and offered to supply two limousines and drivers to use in whichever way he saw fit at the end of the school year.
“He decided to award pupils for their excellence and Mollie Gallon and Bailey Garrod were handpicked for their hard work.
“On the day we arrived at the school and parked the limousines at the front. Mr Rice then announced that Mollie, Bailey and their families would be going home in style.
“There was a tremendous amount of buzz in the street and arriving parents and grandparents were very curious as to why we were there and what we were doing.
“Our drivers did a great job, both girls were crying with joy and the families were blown away by the act of generosity.
“We love to give back to our local community and this is just one we like to be part of the area in which we serve. In this case it was a great way of saying well done to Mollie and Bailey for all their hard work during the school year.”
The lucky pupils enjoyed a ride home in part of a new fleet of vehicles which cost nearly £2 million.
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.
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.
Notes to editors
Picture caption: Bailey Garrod and her family enjoyed a special trip home thanks to Central England Co-operative Funeralcare in King’s Lynn.
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’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 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, @mycooplife and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop