Local environmental charity Tuppenny Barn received a special invitation to cut the ribbon and open The Southern Co-operative’s new food store in Southbourne and received a £500 donation.
Maggie Haynes, founder and CEO at Tuppenny Barn, said: “I am delighted to be working with the new Southbourne store to encourage sustainable living within the community. Tuppenny Barn is extremely grateful for the grant of £500, some of which will be put towards improving our programme of school visits, teaching children about their environment’
The new store on Main Road replaces the Southern Co-operative store that was situated along the same road and is significantly larger in size, as well as having an increased product range.
The Southern Co-operative’s new store is home to a variety of fresh produce, chilled food options and an increased Local Flavours range, featuring eggs, cakes, ice cream, beers, wines and spirits as well as frozen food, all produced locally. The community food store will be open from 6.30am until 10pm, seven days a week with a Paypoint facility and Post Office service.
Adam Skiller, manager of the new store, said: “We are very excited to be opening this new, larger store in Southbourne and we are supporting Tuppenny Barn because it fits so well with The Southern Co-operative’s ethos of local, healthy and sustainable food. Not only that but they work so hard to educate children about healthy diets and sustainable lifestyles as well as providing events for the whole community to get involved in.
“We have a new team who live locally and look forward to showing new customers what we have, including an array of pastries freshly baked and available in store every day, a coffee machine and a cash point.”
For those wishing to sample some of the new store’s Local Flavours range, local ice cream makers, Caroline’s Dairy, will be in-store offering samples of their ice cream on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th February between 10am – 2pm.
As part of ongoing fundraising, The Southern Co-operative, Southbourne have partnered with Southbourne Lionsto form part of The Southern Co-operative’s community engagement programme, ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’. This initiative addresses four key social themes, as identified by a survey of over 4,000 members and colleagues, for promoting: ‘Greener Neighbourhoods’, ‘Healthier Neighbourhoods’, ‘Safer Neighbourhoods’, and ‘More Inclusive Neighbourhoods’.
Charities and community groups can also apply for cash donations or goods in kind through the ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’ scheme which is funded by the 5p single-use carrier bag levy. For more information on how to apply, please speak to your local store’s manager, or visit: http://www.thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/makingadifference/love-your-neighbourhood/.
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Photo Caption:
The Southern Co-operative Food Store in Southbourne is officially opened by, CEO of Tuppenny Barn, Maggie Haynes, and the team from The Southern Co-operative, Southbourne
Contact:
Kate Nilski, Press and PR Officer, The Southern Co-operative
kate@naturalpr.biz / 01273 857242
Notes to Editors:
The Southern Co-operative (thesouthernco-operative.co.uk) is an independently owned regional co-operative society based in southern England with around 250 community stores and funeral branches across Berkshire, Bristol, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex and Wiltshire, plus an online shopping service for daily living aids (co-operativeindependentliving.co.uk). Awarded a 2* ranking as a benchmark of responsible business from BITC (Business in the Community), community contribution is paramount to the ethos of The Southern Co-operative. This includes fundraising for local charities, supporting environmental and community owned organisations, volunteering and working with local food producers.
About Tuppenny Barn
Tuppenny Barn is a non-profit organic smallholding in Southbourne, West Sussex. It grows and sells organic fruit and vegetables, loves the environment, and aims to be a beacon of sustainable living for the community it serves. At its eco-built circular barn – the education and community centre – they provide learning experiences for children, where healthy diets and sustainable lifestyles are promoted. Tuppenny Barn strives to educate children about where food comes from, the nutritional benefits of eating fresh fruit and vegetables and the knowledge and skills to both ‘grow your own’ and prepare healthy fresh meals.
Contact: Emma Robinson , Centre Manager, Tuppenny Barn
Emma@tuppennybarn.co.uk / 01243 377780
