Retailer vows to increase investment in Peterborough

The Central England Co-operative has opened a new funeral home, two new funeral booking offices and revamped two food stores.

In addition, dozens of good causes have benefited from thousands of pounds that have been shared out through the co-operative’s community dividend fund.

In total, the co-operative has invested £876,000 and says further spending in Peterborough is planned.

The three new funeral sites are in London Road, Eye and Orton and the refurbished food stores are Mayor’s Walk and Sawtry.

More investment is planned before the end of the year with a refurbishment of A Coley and Son Funeral Home, in West Street, Crowland.

Mayor’s Walk Co-operative store manager Katie Carvell said: “Our team were so excited to finally allow our members and customers to see our new-look store.”

Last year, a total of 89 groups shared £160,000 from the Central England Co-operative’s Community Dividend Fund.

The fund guarantees that at least one per cent of the society’s trading profit is reinvested in local communities in a bid to help projects to thrive across its trading area.

Martyn Cheatle, chief executive, said: “The Community Dividend reflects a key principle of our society, in that we reward the loyalty of our customers by investing in and supporting local communities. The scheme helps to benefit a wide variety of projects with grants between £100 to a £5,000.”