Best Foot Forward For Central England Co-Operative Store Manager Ahead Of 100-Mile Charity Trek
Posted by nathan lloyd | Published: 08/07/2016
A Central England Co-operative store manager is getting ready to swap his work shoes for his walking boots as he gets set to undertake a 100-mile sponsored walk for two good causes.
Neil Holmes, who works at the Littlemoor Food Store, in Chesterfield, will join forces with two friends to trek from Skegness to Chesterfield over six days in August.
The trio will be stopping off along the way at East Kirkby, Woodhall Spa, Lincoln, Trentfield, and Clumber Park as they bid to raise £500 for The Co-op’s corporate charity Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children and Vasculitis UK
Neil, 34, talked about why he and his friends had decided to undertake the challenge for the two charities.
He said: “I have a strong walking background and suggested the trek as more of a social rather than a fund-raising event at first.
“The idea then developed and we decided to raise funds for charities as we quickly realised that what we are taking on would be quite a challenge.
“Newlife is a simple choice for me as it is the corporate colleague elected charity at Central England Co-operative and I have previously raised money for this great cause.
“It is a fantastic charity and although I have no other personal or social links to the charity I believe strongly in its values.
“The other two participants are Nicholas Moran and Derek Brough, both also from Chesterfield like me.
“Nick’s stepfather was diagnosed with a form of Vasculitis several years ago and is the reason we are supporting this Vasculitis UK.
“We are looking forward to the week, which will be a bit of a challenge but we think it is achievable.”
Newlife is dedicated to providing information and practical support for children with disabilities and their families.
Although Newlife is a national charity, every penny raised by Central England Co-operative is helping children in the Midlands.
The link-up between The Co-op and Newlife has already raised over £1 million so far.
Newlife fund-raising manager Nora Smith said: “Colleagues and customers at Central England Co-operative are doing amazing work supporting Newlife and the disabled children we help all across their trading area.
“Central England Co-operative has already raised more than £1million for Newlife, with every penny being spent directly on vital specialist equipment.
“We wish Neil, Nicholas and Derek well with their walking challenge.”
Vasculitis UK helps people who suffer from the disease, which impacts blood vessels, by offering education and support.
Anyone who would like to support Neil can do by visiting www.justgiving.com/neil-holmes
Notes to editors
Picture caption: Neil Holmes, manager at Littlemoor Food Store, is getting set to take part in a charity trek with friends Nicholas Moran and Derek Brough.
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 2015/16.
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
