Tag: Southern Co-op

Gifts gathered in Shaftesbury for children’s hospital

Posted on by ashleymarsh

An unlikely trio of an armed forces charity, motorbikers, and a funeral director have combined their strengths to make sure children in hospital get some extra special toys this Christmas.

Dan Skinner, one of our Funeral Service Operatives based in Shaftesbury, is currently rallying the troops to take part in a toy run to Dorset County Hospital on Saturday 16 December.

The idea was kicked off at his local meeting of the Royal British Legion Riders and he has already secured £500 of donations from Southern Co-op which runs The Co-operative Funeralcare – Shaftesbury.

The donations will be made to the Kingfisher Ward which is for children and young people aged 0 to 17 years. It has 17 inpatient beds for a variety of specialities and Dan wants to make sure the ward is filled with gifts that all the children can enjoy.

Dan said: “I am currently trying to bring together as many people as I can muster. The more involvement, the more donations and the more the children will benefit.

“The hospital staff have sent me a list of items they would be very grateful for so this donation will make a great difference. I was really taken aback with the quantity of toys donated, it’s really generous.

“We have approached other motorcycle groups as well so I hope we’ll have a good attendance, the idea being that everyone brings something to donate.”

The Royal British Legion Riders branch exists primarily to support the poppy appeal but will also lend a hand in the community when they are able.

But it’s not just charity work that they get involved in. Dan fondly remembers him and his fellow bikers taking part in a surprise birthday visit to a nursing home for a gentleman in his nineties who loved his fast cars and motorcycles.

Dan said: “The nursing home had organised an ice cream van and the sun shone. It really made his day.

“We also do a lot of funeral escorts as well, at the request of families, mostly for veterans who have passed away.”

To find out more about the Dorset branch of the Royal British Legion Riders, visit www.facebook.com/RBLRDorset/ or email dorset@riders-mail.com.

Window displays mark importance of Remembrance Day

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Co-operative colleagues across the south of England are marking Remembrance Day with special displays in their windows.

Southern Co-op’s funeralcare branches, crematoria and burial sites, have created colourful displays with an important message of remembrance.

Remembrance Day 2022 sees the Royal British Legion remembering and commemorating military and civilian service, and the 40th anniversary of the Falklands conflict.

Southern Co-op, the regional, independent co-operative, will be making a donation of £500 to the Royal British Legion to mark the important date.

Cathy Houghton, Funeral and Memorial Consultant at The Co-operative Funeralcare in Rowner, said: “I get a sense of pride when it comes to Remembrance Sunday. My dad, Patrick Divers, served with the Royal Marines Commandos during the Second World War and fought in the Dieppe Raid where 275 commandos lost their lives.

“Luckily my dad survived but sadly died when I was a child. I suppose my dad inspired me to join the forces at age 18 and I was proudly part of the Remembrance parade at Whitehall in 1989 representing the Women’s Royal Naval Service.

“Remembrance Sunday is important to me to remember those who gave up their lives for us… and to especially remember my dear dad.”

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/.

Help for the homeless this winter

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Goods that many people take for granted have started the New Year with a smile as they were bundled up ready for Christmas and gifted to residents at a Brighton homeless hostel.

Currently housing 48 men, Glenwood Lodge was given £500 worth of donations from local funeralcare colleagues to give to its residents to open on the special day.

With 2020 proving a difficult year for many charities and local causes, colleagues at Glenwood Lodge appealed for help from The Co-operative Funeralcare with Caring Lady Funeral Directors.

Last year the six funeral branches which are part of Southern Co-op donated a range of gifts including gloves, socks and shower gel to the homeless hostel in the Grand Parade.

Laura Cullen, Sector Operations Manager for Southern Co-op, said: “Last year I remember there was a particularly cold day before Christmas which prompted us to get in touch with several charities in the area to offer support.

“This year has been even more challenging so we didn’t hesitate in gifting what we could to help.

“Thanks to my colleagues in Brighton, Goring, Hove, Peacehaven, Shoreham and Worthing, who are all glad these gifts brought a few smiles on Christmas Day.”

The gifts to the hostel included duvet sets, dinner sets, toasters, kettles, pillows and cutlery.

Darren Rusbridge, Deputy Manager for the Hospital and Homeless Team at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “The generosity of Southern Co-op really helped us achieve a good Christmas for our vulnerable residents this year. The items donated have certainly helped our residents make their stay at Glenwood more comfortable and welcoming during what has been a difficult year for everyone.

“Our residents were extremely grateful for the gifts of bedding and kitchen equipment as the items are not easy to purchase on a low income. Thanks again from all at Glenwood Lodge.”

To find out more about Southern Co-op’s commitment to its communities, visit www.thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/love-your-neighbourhood.

Remembrance Day display in Cowplain

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Thanks to the creativity of local school children, artwork is on display in a funeral branch’s window to recognise the importance of Remembrance Day.

More than 60 children aged nine and ten helped to draw, colour and craft artwork for the window at The Co-operative Funeralcare – Cowplain.

Funeral Co-ordinators, Jackie Duthie and Lesley Alison, contacted St Peter’s Primary School, in Waterlooville, in the hope they would be able to add some meaning to their window for this year’s Remembrance Day.

Arts Teacher Nina Pearson was more than happy to get involved and each child in Year Five received an invitation stating they had been commissioned to do a piece of artwork.

Each piece of artwork includes a red poppy and was influenced by the poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae.

Nina said: “It’s important to talk about this commemorative event and our history, otherwise we just get caught up in the current moment. This makes you think about the sacrifices which were made.

“We might think we have a few liberties being taken away from us right now but look at the sacrifices that were made 100 years ago.”

The artwork is currently on display in London Road at the funeralcare branch which is part of Southern Co-op – the regional, independent co-operative.

Oil and chalk pastels, pens and colouring pencils were all used in the creation of the display alongside coloured cellophane.

Funeral Co-ordinator Lesley said: “Doing the Remembrance window display is very important to us and we thought it would be lovely for one of our local schools to help us.

“We would like to thank each and every child who took part. They have helped to strengthen the importance of Remembrance Day and we have been really impressed with everything they have created.”

Funeral Co-ordinator Jackie said: “We need to keep the younger generation involved as it is very important for them to remember our past, present and future military personnel and what they have sacrificed for us and what they will sacrifice for us in the future. This should never be forgotten and we should always remember them with great pride.”

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

Funeral co-ordinator named as colleague of the year

Posted on by ashleymarsh
Tom Parfitt at Colliers Court

A funeralcare co-ordinator, who has brought colour to the lives of residents in Frome and Southwick, has been awarded for his ‘massive impact on his local community’.

Selected out of nearly 300 colleagues working in funeralcare at Southern Co-op – the regional, independent co-operative, Tom Parfitt has been named as Funeralcare Colleague of the Year.

Working at The Co-operative Funeralcare in Frome Tom Parfitt was selected for his hard work and dedication to the community after volunteering his time transforming lifeless items with colourful murals.

Last year, Tom adorned a bus at Hope Nature Centre in Southwick with animals of all shapes and sizes which is being used at the centre as part of its work to train people with learning disabilities in animal care and catering skills.

Hope Nature Centre

He also helped a Frome day care service with his creative flair at Colliers Court where services are run by Discovery for adults with learning disabilities and autism. The focus of the upcycle project was to make the garden area a brighter and more pleasant area for the facility users to engage in garden activities.

Tom, who has worked at Southern Co-op for four years after leaving the armed forces, said: “In a nutshell I was gobsmacked when I heard. My manager had just completed my COVID-19 secure audit and then she went super serious saying she had something to tell me. Honestly I was worried.

“When she explained why I had been put forward I was humbled. I love the job that we do and all the team that surround and support me. Plus it’s an added bonus to be able to donate my hobby in the way of art to as many people as I can. I just wanted to say thank you for the award it was a shock and it will be cherished.”

Jennifer Walter, Sector Operations Manager for the region, said: “Tom has been invaluable to the team and me with his unwavering positive attitude, complete flexibility and dedication to the families he is supporting in branch.

“On top of all that he has done with the branch and the funeral team, Tom has made a massive impact on his local community. It has also escalated to Tom supporting other branches with artwork community projects and requests coming in thick and fast locally for his help.

“I cannot speak highly enough about the efforts, enthusiasm and dedication Tom has shown over the last 12 months. He is an invaluable member of my team.”

The praise didn’t end there as Tom’s Sector Operation Support, Helen Jephcott, said: “I’m so pleased for him, he really does deserve it! He is loved by all the families he works with as he is so passionate and knowledgeable about his role and making his families feel 100% at ease.”

Tom’s work in the community is part of the organisation’s larger community engagement programme ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’ which addresses four key social themes – promoting greener, healthier, safer, and more inclusive neighbourhoods.

To find out more about Southern Co-op’s community programme or to view the latest vacancies, visit www.southernco-op.co.uk.

New funeral fleet reduces emissions by up to 50%

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Co-operative colleagues on the Isle of Wight are gearing up for more eco-friendly funerals as two new vehicles will cut carbon emissions in half.

A new hybrid hearse and limousine were delivered to The Co-operative Funeralcare branches on the Isle of Wight at the end of February.

These produce around half of the carbon dioxide emissions of the previous vehicles – 108 grams per km (g/km) compared to 207g/km.

With the hearse expected to travel around 6,500 miles each year (around 10,460km), this could reduce the carbon emissions by 1,035kg annually or by 10 tonnes over the next decade.

The hybrid hearse and limousine also have a regenerative braking system that charges the battery by capturing up to 90 percent of the energy normally lost when braking.

Matt Turner, Regional Operations Manager for Southern Co-op, said: “All of our branches on the Island are part of Southern Co-op and we’re committed to being a sustainable business.

“We also want to support families on the Island in the best way possible so we hope this latest upgrade will bring both of these commitments together.

“We’re pleased to have added reliable new additions to our fleet which will lower carbon emissions and also look the part – stylish and different, without losing any of the tradition and etiquette.”

Southern Co-op is a regional, independent co-operative owned by its 140,000+ members and has more than 50 funeral homes across the south of England.

The new fleet will be used exclusively by the Isle of Wight branches in Lake, Ryde, Newport, East Cowes, Freshwater and Shanklin.

Charities receive £330,000 in memory of loved ones

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Thousands of donations have been made to local and national charities thanks to the generosity of those who have recently lost a loved one.

A total of 7,455 donations were made in 2019 via a free online memorial feature offered by Southern Co-op, the regional, independent co-operative.

The donations total more than £330,000 – an average of more than £44 per donation.

In 2019, 7,455 donations were made totalling £330,824. This is an increase from 2018 when 6,145 donations were made totalling £266,104 – an average of £43 per donation.

Steve Pearce, Chief Operating Officer for funeralcare at Southern Co-op, said: “The charities people chose to donate to can be a reflection of something their loved one held dear to them or a charity that supported them at a time of need.

“We know that people donated to 351 different charities last year but what we can’t quantify is how many people that went on to help. The donations would have made a difference to thousands of people’s lives and this is incredibly special.”

The online memorial feature also allows friends and family to set up a personal tribute page to light virtual candles, share memories, stories, photos and videos of loved ones.

The top five charities which had the most donations received between £14,000 and £25,000 each.

These included two regional charities Phyllis Tuckwell, which cares for terminally ill people and their families throughout West Surrey and part of North East Hampshire, and Rowans Hospice, which offers specialist palliative care to those with life-limiting illnesses in South East Hampshire.

For more information about online tributes, visit www.funeralcare.co.uk/tributes-and-donations.

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.

Tales of a war veteran to mark Remembrance Day

Posted on by ashleymarsh

Stories told from father to daughter to granddaughter are to go on public display in Sturminster to mark this year’s Remembrance Day.

Gay Wilson, Funeral Co-ordinator at The Co-operative Funeralcare in Sturminster, will be decorating the branch’s window ahead of 11 November with the story of her mother and father’s Second World War experience taking pride of place.

Remembrance Day 2019 also marks the 101 anniversary of her mum who was born on Armistice Day and was given the middle name of Peace.

Herbert John Ling and Lilian Peace Ling’s experience of World War Two was written up decades after the fighting had ended – by Gay’s niece as part of a school project.

Gay, who has lived in Sturminster for 21 years, said: “My father always had great true stories to tell us all about the war, some of which we heard a few times, but nevertheless always fascinating to hear.

“This time of year is especially poignant for my family as mum was born on 11.11.1918. She went on to have 11 children starting with my sister who she was pregnant with when my dad joined the army. She was born in 1940.”

Pages of her parent’s memoirs will go on display in the window of the funeral branch in Station Road with the rest available to read inside.

The account includes memories of her father being on a convoy to Malta carrying ammunition and food supplies. The ship was attacked and one of the holds was hit but thanks to some quick thinking and bags of flour, they were able to get into Valletta harbour safely.

On his last ship, Gay’s father recalls the terrifying moments which they were beached off the coast of France just days after D-Day. Lorries were able to unload their supplies but the crew had to wait until the tide came back in before they could get back out to sea.

Gay added: “My father was a hero to me and my family, but we also always remember all of the heroes that fought for us and our Country during both World Wars.”

Poppies will be available in branch with all donations going to the Royal British Legion.

Other displays of remembrance will also be on show at Southern Co-op funeral branches across the south.

To find your nearest the branch, click here.

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.