(Left to right) – Clive Miles, President of the Heart of England Co-operative Society; Stacie Youngsmith, from The Co-operative food; Chris Ward, Fundraising Manager at Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice; Lee Cummings of The Co-operative food; Ali Kurji, Chief Executive of the Heart of England Co-operative Society; Dom Murphy and Jemma Hill of The Co-operative food, and Jo Dyke, Community and Membership Adviser of the Society.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
The Heart of England Co-operative Society has raised £16,000 for Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice and has pledged its support for another year.
The donation will be used towards providing palliative, respite and end-of-life care for babies and children up to the age of six, living with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses and special complex needs.
One of three hospices operated nationally by the Zoë’s Place Trust, Zoë’s Place is the only hospice in the UK to provide a dedicated service for babies and young children.
The result of a year’s worth of fundraising within the Society’s network of 32 Food stores and 13 Funeral homes, as well as its Head Office, the money will help provide almost one month’s worth of care for a child using the service.
Ali Kurji, Chief Executive of the Heart of England Co-operative Society, said: “We are delighted to present Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice with £16,000.
“We have long had a relationship with the baby hospice, since before it first opened its doors in 2011, when we donated £2,000 towards its dedicated Quiet Room for parents.
“To this day Zoë’s Place remains a cause very close to our hearts and we are delighted to continue in our support of the facility.”
Mr Kurji announced that Zoë’s Place would remain the Society’s corporate charity for the next year. He said he hoped staff, customers and members of the Society would help replicate the success of the fundraising campaign so far, over the next 12 months.
Chris Ward, Fundraising Manager of Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice, said: “We continue to be amazed by the generosity and support from all at the Heart of England Co-operative Society.
“Without such amazing support we simply would not be able to provide care and support to children and their families during the toughest of times.
“The money raised will help us provide more than 650 hours, or 27 days worth of nursing care, which is absolutely incredible.”
The Society first launched its corporate charity scheme in 2012.
Since then it has shared almost £155,000 between the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance, The Myton Hospices, Guide Dogs and Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice.
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