Co-op hits £1 million fundraising milestone

The Society has been supporting the charity for the past 18 months and during that time people across 16 counties have done everything from jumping out of planes and undertaking grueling feats of endurance to holding cake sales and organising village fetes, to raise vital funds.

Over £483,500 was handed over in the form of donations, with a further £516,500 from money raised by Central England Co-op via the carrier bag levy.

The money has been used to help pay for the creation of nine specialist Admiral Nurses, additional vital training of Admiral Nurses and the ongoing staffing of the free Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline.

A massive achievement

Central England Co-operative Chief Executive Martyn Cheatle said he was extremely proud to hear the £1 million milestone had been reached. He said: “To hit this major milestone is a massive achievement and I’m extremely proud of everyone involved with the Society for helping us to reach this incredible amount.

I would like to praise the dedication of our colleagues, members and customers because without their support we would never have been able to raise £1 million for this great charity. As a community retailer and responsible business, this significant donation will help improve the lives of those living with dementia, and those who love and care for them, in our trading area, leaving a lasting impact for many years to come.

Admiral Nurses work alongside people with dementia and their families and offer one-to-one support, expert guidance and practical solutions so they can face dementia with more confidence and less fear. The Nurses work across a range of care settings within the community, hospitals, hospices and care homes.

The Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline is available to anyone with queries or concerns about dementia. It is open seven days a week and staffed entirely by Admiral Nurses, to ensure those with dementia and those caring for them get the best possible care and advice.

Truly impressive fundraising

Dr Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse and Chief Executive at Dementia UK, said:

This milestone is a culmination of some truly impressive fundraising from our partners at Central England Co-op. Through their dedication and passion to the cause, we have not only raised awareness of dementia but also enabled more families to access the unique and specialist dementia knowledge and skills of Admiral Nurses. The Central England Co-op also deserves recognition for understanding the challenges that people living with dementia may face in their everyday lives. The trial of slow checkout lanes for people with dementia in a Derbyshire and a Leicestershire store was a true reflection of this. We hope this will provide inspiration for other organisations in building a society which respects the needs, rights and wishes of people living with dementia.

Customers and members will be able to continue to support Dementia UK by donating via collection tins when they visit Food Stores, Funeral Homes or Travel Shops, and colleagues will be undertaking a wide range of different fundraising events to help raise funds during the coming months.