Tag: community

Co-operative community and care services expand to High Wycombe

Posted on by ashleymarsh

A free bereavement care service is now available in High Wycombe after one of the town’s funeral branches became part of an independent, regional co-operative.

The Bereavement Care service is offered by Southern Co-op to everyone in its local communities – regardless of whether they have used its services.

The free service is designed to help and support people struggling to deal with bereavement.

Since The Co-operative Funeralcare in Dashwood Avenue became part of Southern Co-op, the branch has also been fully refurbished.

Cared for by Funeral Co-ordinator Joanne Hoskins, the branch is now complete with a welcoming entrance area, a peaceful arrangement room and a calming reflection room.

Steve Pearce, Southern Co-op’s Chief Operating Officer for End of Life Services, said: “Since we welcomed the High Wycombe branch and colleagues into our family, we have been privileged to experience the high level of care which they offer local families and loved ones.

“It’s therefore a pleasure to be able to expand this personalised support and care through our Bereavement Care service as well as our community programme which is a mix of colleague volunteering, goods donations and funding possibilities.”

Via its Love Your Neighbourhood programme, Southern Co-op is committed to building a culture of neighbourliness, inspiring colleagues, members and customers to be community minded every day.

As well as colleague volunteering and goods donations, local causes can currently apply for funding of up to £500. The local funding is available for local causes which are working to create greener, healthier, safer and more inclusive neighbourhoods.

Funeral Co-ordinator Joanne, who lives locally in a small village just outside High Wycombe, said: “Having previously worked at the Beaconsfield branch before moving to High Wycombe in 2020, I recognise how important it is ensure someone’s final journey is personal and one to remember. It is all about the families we serve.

“As a 54-year-old mum of four and a loving nanny to my two wonderful grandchildren, I take great pride in my work and looking after my families is such a privilege.

“I treat their family member how I would expect my loved ones to be treated with respect, love and compassion.”

To find out more about Bereavement Care, visit www.bereavementcare.uk.

Remembrance windows honouring our fallen servicemen

Posted on by ashleymarsh
The Co-operative Funeralcare – Cowplain

The importance of Remembrance Day is being brandished in the windows of funeral homes across the south of England thanks to help from children, communities and colleagues.

To mark 100 years of the Royal British Legion, Southern Co-op is making a donation of £5,000 and is encouraging its funeral colleagues to mark the anniversary with bold window displays.

At The Co-operative Funeralcare – Cowplain, children from St Peter’s Catholic School in Waterlooville have painstakingly painted 930 memory stones to remember the 930 people killed in Portsmouth during the Blitz. A further 2,837 were injured and more than 6,000 properties were destroyed.

The Co-operative Funeralcare – Widley

Jackie Duthie, Cowplain Funeral Co-ordinator, said: “The children from Year Six have created the beautiful poppies that we have cascading down on the outside of the window. Out of lots of small crosses the children have also created this wonderful large cross, which looks so poignant and so effective.

“They will be coming along to the branch on Wednesday at 11am to hand out their memory stones to the community in Cowplain. Remembrance Day gives people the chance to remember those who fought and lost their lives during the war and to honour their memory.

“With fewer and fewer living survivors, it’s even more important than ever to remember the sacrifice’s these people made for our country. Teaching our children about the importance of Remembrance Day will keep the memories of these soldiers and brave individuals alive now and in the future.”

At The Co-operative Funeralcare – Widley, Mayor of Havant Councillor Rosy Raines helped to judge the poppy pictures created by children at Purbrook Junior School aged seven to 11 years. All of the children received a certificate for their efforts.

The Co-operative Funeralcare – Peacehaven

Linda Docherty, Widley Funeral Co-ordinator, said: “I am truly blessed to have such wonderful children help me in my display. I have also had a lady knit a poppy wreath for me and another lady made a cross with a poppy helmet which is absolutely amazing.”

At The Co-operative Funeralcare with Caring Lady – Peacehaven, Funeral Co-ordinator Kerry Tester incorporated the original helmet of her grandfather.

Kerry said: “The tin hat is original and was my Grandad’s from the Second World War. I am very proud to be able to display my late grandfather Harold Roberts’ hat in our window as my earliest memories of him were when he would get us to ‘build’ the poppies that he brought home from The Royal British Legion in September ready to sell in time for Remembrance Day.”

At The Co-operative Funeralcare – Farnborough, they have been overwhelmed by the artwork they have had in from the local infant, junior and nursery schools

Anne Whitehouse, Farnborough Funeral Co-ordinator, said: “We designed various simple poppy posters and sent out emails to local infant, junior and nursery schools asking if they would like to colour, paint or collage them for us to display in our window.

The Co-operative Funeralcare – Farnborough

“We had no idea what a fantastic response we would get! The window shows all the amazing posters that have come back to us, so many that they had to be displayed back to back, which just means we get a fabulous wall of poppies to look at on the inside too.”

Southern Co-op’s colleagues will be marking the important day with a minute’s silence including at its local retail stores.

To find your nearest Southern Co-op funeral branch, visit www.funeralcare.co.uk/our-funeral-directors/location-map/.

 

Purbrook mum is on a mission to help local families in need

Posted on by ashleymarsh

After collecting stacks of donated uniforms to help struggling families, a Widley funeral co-ordinator is now turning her hand to food donations.

Linda Docherty has been working at Southern Co-op for over two years and recently moved to its branch of The Co-operative Funeralcare in Widley.

She had barely got her feet under the table before she started encouraging local groups to apply for funding available which led to Purbrook Mother and Toddler Group receiving a £500 donation.

In a thank you letter to Linda, the group said it will help towards rent, insurance, equipment and snack costs and enable them to keep running the group for local families for many months to come.

But Linda wasn’t content and soon paired up with Care and Share Waterlooville – a drop off/pick up point in Waterlooville for essential items that people struggle to afford in difficult times.

Rachel and Jamie from Care and Share Waterlooville said: “Thanks to Linda at the Widley branch of The Co-operative Funeralcare, she helped us at a time when we were super busy with our normal workload of help bank requests by becoming a drop off point for used and new school uniforms.

“The uniform items kindly delivered to us by Linda have been made available for families with children struggling, not just to afford the items, but also to find them with shops and local outlets running out of many items during the post COVID-19/Brexit driver shortage.”

Linda has now turned her attention to food and has set up a donation point in the branch in London Road to make it easy for people to drop off in the local area.

Linda, 54, said: “What an absolute achievement the uniform donations have been. People actually went out and bought uniforms to donate them.

“Being Purbrook born and bred, I want nothing more than to help those less fortunate than myself. I have been less fortunate than others as a single mum of three – now with two grandchildren.

“When you’ve been there and been in that situation then you know what it’s like not to have enough money for uniform or not enough food in the cupboards.

“Working for Southern Co-op has given me more of an opportunity and it’s the icing on the cake that the co-operative like you to help your community. People are always behind me whatever I have come up with which is amazing and I hope it is bringing some life back into Widley.”

Care and Share Waterlooville is currently looking for donations of tinned beans and sausages, hot dog sausages, coffee, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, washing up liquid, bleach and scouring pads. All donations are gratefully received.

To get in touch with Care and Share Waterlooville regarding support, email careandsharewaterlooville@outlook.com or via its Facebook page www.facebook.com/Care-and-Share-Waterlooville-107127284558223.

Or for more information on funding from Southern Co-op’s Love Your Neighbourhood programme, visit www.thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/love-your-neighbourhood/.

Community Chest given a surprise donation

Posted on by ashleymarsh

A charity shop set up to help keep its village bright and appealing has been given a £500 donation to mark a funeral home’s one year anniversary.

Volunteers at Sturminster’s Community Chest Charity shop were invited to enjoy some mulled wine and mince pies at The Co-operative Funeralcare as a way of saying thank you.

One of the funeral co-ordinators in Sturminster, Gay Wilson, has been volunteering at the Community Chest Charity shop over the last few months and felt they deserved some recognition for their hard work.

The donation was kept as a surprise and presented to the volunteers at The Co-operative Funeralcare’s one year anniversary on 10 December 2019.

Gay Wilson said: “Since the branch opened a year ago, we have been spreading the message that we are more than just a funeral home. We are part of Southern Co-op – the regional, independent co-operative – so we are a part of the community.

“Over the last few months, I have been volunteering at the Community Chest Charity shop so know how hard the volunteers work. It is lovely to be able to thank them at our anniversary event!”

The Community Chest, which comes under the umbrella of Sturminster Newton Economic Development Society, is a community venture set up to help maintain Sturminster’s reputation as a great place to live, work and play.

All profits from the shop are used to support initiatives to keep the town bright and interesting, encouraging residents to stay and tourists to visit.

Cheryl Basten, Community Chest Manager, said: “I would just like to say a huge thank you to The Co-operative Funeralcare colleagues for their very kind donation and the recognition of our very hard working and committed volunteers.

“We have had an amazing year, with great support from the community and are now seeing the fruits of our labour with projects that are enhancing our environment.

“We have a suggestion box in the shop so if there is something you are passionate about and would like to be considered for funding then please pop into our lovely little shop.”

The Co-operative Funeralcare in Sturminster is part of the regional, independent co-operative, Southern Co-op, which encourages volunteering and donations as part of its community engagement programme.

The Love Your Neighbourhood initiative addresses four key social themes – promoting greener, healthier, safer, and more inclusive neighbourhoods.

To find out more email SturminsterFuneral@southerncoops.co.uk, call 01258 472073 or visit the branch at 4 Market House, Station Road, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1FG.

Village hall installs CCTV after defibrillator damaged in break-in

Posted on by ashleymarsh

A village hall, which suffered a spate of vandalism, has installed CCTV to protect the community space from future damage.

East Stour Village Hall had 12 fire extinguishers destroyed, its defibrillator was broken and fire doors were wrecked during a spate of break-ins in 2018.

The village hall committee decided enough was enough and agreed to look into installing CCTV.

Suzanne Smith, Funeral Co-ordinator at The Co-operative Funeralcare ‑ Shaftesbury, offered to donate £500 to cover the majority of the costs.

Suzanne said: “The village hall is such a central part in our community that we wanted to do something to help.

“We are part of Southern Co-op – the regional co-operative – so do our best to help local causes where we can.

“Many of the local village clubs and societies meet there so the vandalism was affecting a lot of people. We are really pleased to see the vandalism has now stopped.”

East Stour Village Hall hosts many of the local activities and events and was first opened in 1973 with a major refurbishment in 2016.

The improvements to the Hall also marked the end of the Village Action Plan which included planting 9,000 daffodils in roadside verges, renovating the central phone box into a lending library and installing a defibrillator at the village hall.

Mary Dowding, Chair of the East Stour Village Hall Committee, said: “The village hall has been here for 40 years and we have never considered CCTV. But last year we decided we finally needed it as a means of trying to keep an eye on things.

“We were extremely grateful that Southern Co-op was able to help out. The donation went a long way towards the overall costs. Thankfully we have had no further incidents this year.”

Southern Co-op’s community engagement programme ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’ aims to help communities become greener, healthier, safer and more inclusive.

To find out more about Southern Co-op’s commitment to making a difference, click here.

Birthday celebrations in Sturminster Newton

Posted on by ashleymarsh

The whole community is being invited to celebrate a funeral home’s one year anniversary and recognise the work of volunteers at a special local cause.

The Co-operative Funeralcare in Sturminster opened its doors on 10 December 2018 and will be holding a special anniversary event exactly one year on.

To mark the special occasion, Funeral Co-ordinators Gay Wilson and Robyn Marriott have invited volunteers from the Community Chest Charity shop to enjoy some mulled wine and mince pies.

Complimentary light refreshments are also being offered to families and friends in the town who would like to help celebrate the occasion.

Gay Wilson said: “Since the branch opened a year ago, we have been spreading the message that we are more than just a funeral home. We are part of Southern Co-op – the regional, independent co-operative – so we are a part of the community.

“Over the last few months, I have been volunteering at the Community Chest Charity shop so know how hard the volunteers work. It is lovely to be able to thank them at our anniversary event. We also have a surprise in store for them!”

Gay will also be baking home made cakes for the event on 10 December from 4pm to 6pm.

Light refreshments, cakes, mulled wine and mince pies will all be available on the night.

Gay added: “Everyone is welcome – whether you want to find out more about us, how we support the community, how we support loved ones at a time of need or if you just want a free mince pie.”

The Community Chest is a community venture wholly owned by the Sturminster Community Benefit Society, set up to help maintain Sturminster’s reputation as a great place to live, work and play.

All profits from the shop are used to support initiatives to keep the town bright and interesting, encouraging residents to stay and tourists to visit.

To RSVP, please email SturminsterFuneral@southerncoops.co.uk, call 01258 472073 or visit the branch at 4 Market House, Station Road, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1FG.

Local club helps to empower women through sport

Posted on by ashleymarsh

A local netball club, which welcomes players from seven to seventy, has been given a special boost from a local co-operative.

Wessex Blades Netball Club has been given a £250 donation to help with running costs and new equipment by The Co-operative Funeralcare, in Warminster.

The club welcomes players of all abilities to play for fun, socially or competitively.

It is hoped that the donation will support the club to continue empowering young women through sport

Michelle Meadows, Funeral Co-ordinator at Warminster branch in George Street, said: “It’s a great local club and it’s really inclusive. It’s all about women being together in sport.

“It has helped all the little ones tremendously and helped with their confidence as they see the older girls playing. The difference I have seen in my own child is amazing. She loves it as do the other girls.”

The branch is part of Southern Co-op – the local, independent co-operative which supports local communities through its community engagement programme.

The ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’ programme aims to make neighbourhoods greener, healthier, safer and/or more inclusive.

The Wessex Blades netball club offers training for juniors from school year three up to seniors including back to netball sessions.

Training is on a Wednesday Night at Kingdown School in Warminster.

A spokesperson at Wessex Blades said: “With a thriving Juniors section, a fabulous Back to Netball group and a three Senior teams, there really is a place for everyone at Wessex Blades Netball Club.

“We welcome players of all abilities to play for fun, socially, or competitively. One thing guaranteed is a warm and friendly environment, smiles and laughs in abundance and a true sense of support and team work.”

To find out more, contact wessexblades1@gmail.com.

Click here to find out more about Southern Co-op’s commitment to making a difference.

Garden grows stronger in Emsworth

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Friends of a memorial garden in Emsworth have been gifted with a donation for new flowers, plants and tools.

Colleagues from Emsworth’s Co-operative Funeralcare branch in North Street visited the memorial garden this week to make a donation of £200.

Situated on the southeast corner of Emsworth Jubilee Recreation Ground off Horndean Road, Emsworth’s Memorial Garden was first opened in 2006 after a suggestion was made by a well known resident of Emsworth – Harold Groom.

Several members of the community subsequently campaigned for a public war memorial which covered World War I, World War II and other conflicts.

Friends of Emsworth Memorial Garden help to maintain the garden as well as a range of other activities including holding regular work sessions to maintain and develop the garden.

Volunteers are invited to join the regular maintenance session which is held on the second Monday of each month from 10am to 12pm.

Annie McKnight, Funeral Co-ordinator at the Emsworth branch – part of Southern Co-op, said: “This memorial garden provides a really essential space and is an important part of our community.

“Being part of a regional, independent co-operative, we do our best to support our local community and it is special when we get to support projects like this. We hope it will continue to provide a place of calm and reflection for many years to come.”

The purpose of the Emsworth Memorial Garden is to give people of all faiths, or none, a tranquil place for them to reflect in their own way and honour those local heroes who have given their lives in the cause of justice and peace.

It includes a Memorial Roll with the names of 234 Emsworth war dead engraved on plaques and a sculpture of ‘absence’ in its centre.

Maurice Clarke, from Friends of Emsworth Memorial Garden, said: “A service for all is held every year in the garden on Armistice Day – the 11th November at 11am.

“Everyone is invited to the service which is attended by local dignitaries, members of the Armed Forces, representatives of the emergency services, together with local schools and members of the public.”

To find out more about the Friends of Emsworth Memorial Garden, visit www.emsworthmemorialgarden.org.uk.

Southern Co-op’s community engagement programme ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’ addresses four key social themes for promoting: ‘Greener’, ‘Healthier’, ‘Safer’, and ‘More Inclusive’ neighbourhoods.

To find out more about Southern Co-op’s commitment to making a difference, click here.

£1,000 donated to special Alton cause

Posted on by ashleymarsh

New equipment is set to be bought by a special Alton lunch club after a donation of £1,000 from the town’s newest funeral home.

To celebrate its new place in Alton’s High Street, colleagues at The Co-operative Funeralcare held an open afternoon on Wednesday [10 July].

To mark the special occasion, the branch, which is part of Southern Co-op – the regional, independent co-operative, made a donation to The Vokes Lunch Club which has been running in Alton since the 1960s.

Funeral Co-ordinator Emma Dulieu said: “It was really heartening to hear about the lunch club and how much it means to local people who are going there nearly every day for a two-course lunch in a safe, friendly environment.

“So we are really pleased to be able to help them replace some of their slightly older equipment and help keep such a valuable community asset going.

“Since we opened, we’ve already helped a number of local families in their times of need and hope we are able to continue this support for the foreseeable future.

“Anyone with questions about funerals is welcome to pop in to see us as we are always happy to help dispel some of the myths around funeralcare.”

The Vokes Lunch Club is for people aged 60 and over and is held at the Vokes Centre, in Normandy Street, with around 15 to 20 people visiting every day for meals prepared on the premises.

Tony Midmore, Trustee, said: “We would like to share our grateful thanks for the generous donation which is brilliant. A lot of our equipment on the premises is getting a little bit long in the tooth so this is going towards upgrading the facilities.

“We offer a social environment, a social atmosphere and we make sure the food is substantial for the elderly who can’t manage to do it themselves all the time.

“It gets them outside of their own four walls. A lot of these people don’t have much mobility. It is something that we have been doing for an awfully long time.”

To find out more, visit www.vokeslunchclub.co.uk or call 01420 84235.

The donation from The Co-operative Funeralcare, in Alton, was made as part Southern Co-op’s ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’ scheme which addresses four key social themes – promoting ‘Greener’, ‘Healthier’, ‘Safer’, and ‘More Inclusive’ neighbourhoods.

For more information on the funeral home and the services available, visit the branch at 71 High Street or click here.

Dementia residents find comfort in realistic baby dolls

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Two life-like dolls have found a new home at a care home in Warminster to help assist residents with dementia.

Residents at Ashwood Care Centre can now care for the babies as part of doll therapy – a way to ease anxiety and bring joy to people living with dementia.

The donation was made by funeral co-ordinators at The Co-operative Funeralcare in Warminster after they had heard about the benefits.

Michelle Meadows, Funeral Co-ordinator, said: “I’d seen something on the news about someone who had these dolls and went around visiting the nursing homes with them.

“Staff at Ashwood Care Centre already had a couple of non-lifelike dolls which they were using for doll therapy so they already knew the benefits.”

Michelle and her colleague Tess Gibson decided to hold a raffle in the centre’s coffee shop which raised £174 – enough for two dolls as well as craft supplies.

Michelle said: “When we went around the care centre with the new dolls, we met a woman who was non-verbal. They gave her the doll and her face lit up.

“She instantly started rocking this baby. Just to see that moment was lovely. It gives them a sense of control back. They also use it to calm people. It made the fundraising effort worthwhile.”

The dolls are weighted and now have their own cots to sleep in to make it even more realistic for the residents.

Sarah Camburn, Deputy Manager at Ashwood Care Centre, said: “The Warminster Co-operative Funeralcare kindly raised money for what was meant to be one Reborn Doll but we ended getting two, which was fantastic.

“The dolls have been received really well. Both female and male residents enjoy holding the babies. They are very therapeutic.

“The residents with dementia have been able to express their feelings through holding the dolls and sharing stories with our care staff. Some of the residents just like to sit quietly and hold them. They have been a success and will continue to be so.”

The raffle was held as part of Southern Co-op’s community engagement programme ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’ as The Co-operative Funeralcare in Westminster is part of the local, independent co-operative.

The initiative addresses four key social themes for promoting ‘Greener’, ‘Healthier’, ‘Safer’, and ‘More Inclusive’ neighbourhoods.

To find out more about Southern Co-op’s commitment to making a difference, click here.