First issue! Your local Co-operative update Summer Vouchers inside - see page 9. - see page 15

Transcription

1 Your local Co-operative update Summer 2014 Vouchers inside - see page 9 We answer your questions - see page 15 First issue! Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited at the heart of Essex

2 Contents 3 Welcome! Tell us what you think of our first issue 4 Helping your community Find out more about our Community Card 5 Taste the fairness Try out our Fairtrade recipe 6 What s in The latest fashion and our newest ranges instore 7 Look who s talking! See who is speaking next at our members coffee mornings 8 Where to? Members suggest your next travel destination 9 Exclusive vouchers Just for members 10 Where are we again? A list of our trading outlets 11 Funeral Services Support when you need it most 12 Overseas Based in Essex, but helping abroad 13 Out & about Events on in your area Why be a member? Nearly 20,000 of our shoppers are members of Chelmsford Star, the local independent co-operative Society for Essex. But why did they join? We asked some of our existing members... As an elected member, I can have a real say in how the business is run. C. Henton, Chelmsford The values of the business, its belief in ethical trading and fairness, very much match my own. M. Wallace, Chelmsford It s good to meet up with other members. They ve become like my extended family. M. Kirkham, Moulsham The support provided by your Community Card has enabled us to raise funds for the school so much quicker. C. Williams, Danbury All your events help raise money for my favourite charity! D Davis, Braintree I save my points up throughout the year, and put it towards holidays to treat the family. G. Tebbit, Maldon 14 Giving youth a voice Looking to the next generation of co-operators 15 Remember when? We ve been around since 1867, so we ve lots to look back on! 16 It s all about you Will you be our Member of the Month? With added benefits on the way, such as exclusive discounts and the new Member of the Month incentive, there has never been a better time to get involved! If you have any questions about our membership scheme, please call us free on or us at: membership@chelmsfordstar.coop 2

3 Welcome... You have in your hands (or on your screen) the first issue of our new Starlight magazine, a new quarterly update bringing you information, offers and articles, all with a co-operative flavour. From Fairtrade recipes (page 5), members events (page 7 & 13), and exclusive offers (page 9), Chelmsford Star is proud to be presenting this bite-size bulletin to you, our members. We d love to hear what you think. Wishing you a warm and glorious summer, Kevin Bennett - Head of Membership Message from our President Welcome to all readers of our first Starlight magazine, whether you are an existing member of Chelmsford Star or someone interested in finding out more before joining. We hope this gives you a concise but light-hearted insight into what our independent co-operative Society has been up to recently, both in Essex and abroad, and what we will be up to in the coming few months. As this is a members magazine, we are pleased to have had input from a number of members, and also some of the community groups we support, but as we are now publishing quarterly we d like more please! Any thoughts, contributions, comments or even recipes you have to submit may make a future edition. Please see contact details to the right of this page. We truly believe co-operatives, like Chelmsford Star, make a huge positive difference to the communities in which they operate. Our ability to do so depends on involvement from loyal members and customers such as yourself. Thank you for your support. Yours in co-operation, Pauline Dodd - Society President Get in touch! If you would like to contribute to future issues, or contact us on any other matter, you can reach us in a number of ways... Starlight Magazine, Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society, 220 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, CM2 0LS e members@chelmsfordstar.coop TXT followed by the word STAR and your message Freephone 0800 /chelmsfordstarcoop Your local Co-operative update... 3

4 Food Welcome, The Sorrells! We ve opened our 39th food shop, in an old converted pub at Stanford-le-Hope! The new store, on the Sorrells estate, is making use of technological developments to cut down its waste and energy emissions, and was officially launched on the 17th April. We d like to welcome both new customers and new colleagues to Chelmsford Star. On the hunt for good causes in your area If you have a favourite charity or community group, based in that area or any other, they may be interested in joining our award-winning Community Card scheme. Launched in 1999, this initiative has grown to help nearly 300 groups across Essex raise additional funds for their cause, from charities and churches to schools and scout groups. For more information visit the community pages of our website. Before & After: As the Catcracker Pub last year, and now as an environmentally friendly co-operative store! qcheque this out: Our Community Card has been helping groups with extra funds for 15 years. AGM highlight... Our local food sales up 24.83% We ve worked out that every 1 spent in our stores generates 31p income for the local community! Radio Roadshow! One of the charities we assist is Hospital Radio, who are celebrating their 50th birthday this year. To mark the occasion they are now broadcasting live over the internet, and this summer, they will be recording their show outside of their studios... and going live from outside our food stores. Why not pop along and support them, and join in the fun? The first date is at our Exchange Way store, Chelmsford, on 21st June from 10am, to mark the start of Co-operative Fortnight. For updates, check our website. Our smallest member, Cooper, introduces himself to listeners of Hospital Radio Chelmsford. 4 /chelmsfordstarcoop

5 Food To celebrate World Fairtrade Day on 10th June, why not have a go at this simple and yummy fairtrade butterscotch and banana mousse? Let us know how you get on! Fairtrade Butterscotch and Banana Mousse (Serves 4) Ingredients 200g Fairtrade caster sugar 50ml Co-operative double cream 1 tsp Co-operative butter 6 Co-operative free range eggs separated into yolks and whites A pinch of salt 1 Small lemon, cut in half 2 Fairtrade bananas, sliced (4 pieces reserved for the top of the mousse when completed) Method Heat the sugar in a pan with 1tbsp water until it turns to caramel, and stir. This will take about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the caramel to cool a little, then gently fold in the cream and butter. Whisk in the egg yolks, one by one, then add the salt. Take a clean preparation bowl and rub the cut edge of the lemon all around the inside of the bowl (this not only helps the whites beat faster, but it will also add the very subtle hint of lemon that true butterscotch contains). Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, and then fold this into the butterscotch mixture. Take 4 large ramekin or sundae dishes and divide the chopped bananas (less the 4 slices reserved for decoration) between the dishes, laying them into the bottom, then cover with the sauce. Place a slice of banana on top of each of the filled dishes and place in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours before serving. Don t Forget Dad! We ve got some deals ready for Father s Day, on 19th June. Keep an eye on the latest promotions next time you re in-store! Love local Our food stores are now stocking more produce from local suppliers than ever before. You can meet some of them at this year s Essex Festival of Food & Drink, at Cressing Temple near Braintree on 19th - 20th July. Tickets are 6.50 per adult. They ll be offering food tastings under our The Only way Is Local marquee. If you pop along, say hello! Your local Co-operative update... 5

6 Department store This Season s Trends: Pastels and Lace The new fashion collections, now available in our stores, offer a wide selection of colours and styles; from rich jewels to candy pinks, mints and duck egg blues. Pastel shades are bang on trend, but mix your colours for maximum effect - why not match a soft baby pink with neutrals or perhaps a bright colour too? It s all about experimenting! Lace is the must have fabric, whether it appears on its own or as an over top, a sleeve detail or insert panels. Sheer fabric teams up well with lace, and much of this is emblazoned with flowered prints. Don t be timid go bold and be happy! So, if you love the feminine girly look then this season is right up your street. With a choice of over 30 top high street brands across our two department stores, you can find everything you need under one roof. Father s Day Most Dad s do a lot of running around for their children. So with Father s Day approaching, on the 19th June, maybe you need to treat yours to a new pair of shoes? From the suave leather models of Jones the Bootmakers in our Chelmsford store, to the funky deck shoes of Brantano in Braintree, we ve footwear for all types of fathers, from classic to casual. Let s Bake! If you get inspired by the cooking shows on TV, you ll love our new collection of The Great British Bake Off official licensed cookware now available in Braintree and Chelmsford quadrant. From non-stick tins to branded tea towels, handled cake lifters to baking beans, we ve everything a Mary Berry-in the making needs! All items have a 10 year guarantee, and with prices starting from only 2.99 there is nothing to stop you from getting baking! AGM highlight... Gross takings up to 9.7 million For more information call us on Chelmsford or Braintree I m so pleased to have chosen furniture from Quadrant. The service from the staff was excellent, delivery was as promised, and the overall service was really good. No complaints at all! H. Hibbert, Bishop s Stortford

7 Department store Come and join us for a coffee! We hold two coffee mornings a week in our department stores; every Monday in Chelmsford and every Thursday in Braintree, both at 10.30am and lasting about an hour. All members are welcome (you can join on arrival if you aren t one yet), and you can have a free regular tea or coffee on us. Most weeks, we have a guest speaker (click the members events tab on our website for a full list). See below for a small selection of the topics coming up. Our two Brambles restaurants do a great range of freshly cooked meals, and our portion sizes have to be seen to be believed. Come in and try for yourself! pbottle it: Diana (second from left) shows off the wine grown in her vineyard, also a co-operative, which is available in our convenience stores. International appeal... During Fairtrade Fortnight, we were visited by a member of a co-operative vineyard in Argentina. Daniela Cedrón told us how the extra money earned from the fairtrade premium had paid for the first secondary school to be built in her village. So help youngsters in Argentina get educated, and buy a bottle of fairtrade wine today! How about a bite to eat and a brain teaser? Once a month, our coffee morning joins forces with our restaurant to host a quiz. Come and bring a team, and enjoy a fish and chip lunch on us for just The next quizzes are at 12pm on 22nd May (Braintree), 23rd June (Chelmsford) and 17th July (Braintree). Coffee Mornings... Braintree: 15th May Braintree Rotary Club 22nd May Guide Dogs 5th June The Magistrates Association 26th June Mental Health Trust 3rd July National Royal Lifeboat Institute Chelmsford 19th May Essex Fire Safety 9th June Seated Yoga 30th June Chelmsford Library 7th July Crimestoppers 28th July Town Twinning Association Your local Co-operative update... 7

8 Travel Popular this month: Mexico! Amanda from Chelmsford recommends the eco-resort of The Caracol Spa. Complete with an abundance of wildlife, plus crystal clear waters with fish that will feed from your hands. Visit the towering Mayan temples of Chichen Itza, one of the seven wonders of the world, and unwind with a visit to Coco Bongo, a Cirque du Soleil style night club. Caracol Spa pamanda and the girls on the beach. With a huge selection of independently selected holidays, and a foreign exchange rate that can t be beat, we know that our travel teams are the best agents you ll find, but did you know that we put on some extra trips just for our members? Spaces are limited, so call in quick... Where s Cooper? Cooper Bear is Chelmsford Star s smallest member. Keep your eye out for him next time you are on holiday he may have snuck into your suitcase! pcooper checks out Chichen Itza, Mexico. 7 nights, 4* all inclusive at Riviera Maya for 2 adults: 859 per person. Price correct at time of print but may change, and is subject to availability. Staff are always very helpful, and costs are reasonable. They provided me with good information and always kept me informed. Christine, Writtle Eastbourne 5 days from 6th September 272 per person Great Yarmouth 5 days from 3rd October 179 per person Tiptree Jam factory 18th June To mark National Jam Week (18th 24th June), our Chelmsford branch have organised a trip. 10 per person penjoying the lights and noise of Times Square, New York. Did you know, we can arrange airport parking, hotels and holiday insurance too? Jason, Manager of Braintree If you need a large amount of exotic currency, you can order it in advance! Debbie, Manager of Chelmsford AGM highlight... Our Travel business on last year! 8 Freephone % up For up to the minute quotes, call us on or pscaling the heights of the Inca Trail in Peru. If you would like to win a Cooper Bear of your very own, like his facebook page (/coopertravel) or him on cooper@chelmsfordstar.coop and tell him why he should come on holiday with you. We ll have one to give away each issue!

9 Savings for you... This voucher entitles our members to... This voucher entitles our members to... 10% off in any of our food stores Minimum spend 5 eg.spend 10 and receive 1 off your bill 50 off on any item of furniture, beds or carpets purchased Minimum spend 500 Only one coupon per purchase. Excludes PayPoint, mobile top-ups, postage stamps, SIM cards, fuel, cigarettes, tobacco and lottery. Voucher valid until 31st July Membership No Part of Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited STARLIGHT FOOD VOUCHER SUM14 Terms & conditions apply. Voucher valid until 31st October Membership No Part of Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited STARLIGHT QUADRANT VOUCHER SUM14 This voucher entitles our members to... This voucher entitles our members to... Free Airport Lounge upgrade 75 off any Funeral Plan purchased on any holiday purchased over 399 per person Voucher valid until 31st October Membership No Part of Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited STARLIGHT TRAVEL VOUCHER SUM14 Terms & conditions apply. Voucher valid until 31st October Membership No Part of Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited STARLIGHT FUNERAL VOUCHER SUM14 Your local Co-operative update... 9

10 Address list quadrant department stores: 220 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 0LS George Yard, 9/15 Rayne Road, Braintree, Essex CM7 2QA The co-operative bed centre: Unit 4/6, The Knightswick Shopping Centre, Furtherwick Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 7AD The co-operative food stores: 40 Duke Street, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1JA /27 Exchange Way, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1XS /170 Meadgate Avenue, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 7LJ /376 Baddow Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 9RA Barnard Road, Galleywood, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 8RS Beehive Lane, Westbourne Grove, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 9RP Gloucester Avenue, Moulsham Lodge, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 9LG Havengore, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 6JP /15 Torquay Road, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 6NF Kings Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 2BB /49 Main Road, Broomfield, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 7BU Trent Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 2LQ Melbourne Parade, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 2DW Bridge Street, Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3EY /82 Forest Drive, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 2TS /5 Spreadeagle Place, Ingatestone, Essex CM4 9EA Fingrith Hall Road, Blackmore, Ingatestone, Essex CM4 9EA /64 Woodland Avenue, Hutton, Brentwood, Essex CM13 1HH Main Road, Danbury, Essex CM3 4NQ Challis Lane, Braintree, Essex CM7 1AN Church Street, Bocking, Braintree, Essex CM7 5JY /176 Cressing Road, Braintree, Essex CM7 3PL /205 Mountbatten Road, Braintree, Essex CM7 9UL Panners Parade, Priory Lane, Great Notley, Braintree, Essex CM77 7AE /117 Ferry Road, Hullbridge, Essex SS5 6ET Main Road, Hawkwell, Hockley, Essex SS5 4EG /8 St. Peter s Terrace, Wickford, Essex SS12 0AP /159 Nevendon Road, Wickford, Essex SS12 0NY /495 Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS12PH /87 West Road, Shoeburyness, Essex SS3 9DT Church Road, Thundersley, Benfleet, Essex SS7 4EN /175 Long Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0JD Pauls Court, Meppel Avenue, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 9RZ Stanford Place, Princess Margaret Road, East Tilbury, Essex RM18 8YP /16 Calcutta Road, Tilbury, Essex RM18 7QU /4 Canterbury Parade, South Road, South Ockendon, Essex RM15 6NH C Mungo Park Road, Rainham, Essex RM13 7PP The Sorrells, Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex SS17 7DZ Petrol filling station: 372/376 Baddow Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 9RA Off licence: 210 Main Road, Hawkwell, Hockley, Essex SS5 4EG Post Office facilities: 16 Main Road, Danbury, Essex CM3 4NQ /39 Masefield Road, Braintree, Essex CM7 1AA Funeral Services: 78 Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1SS Baddow Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 9RA (corner of Beehive Lane) 60 The Green, Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3DU A Main Road, Danbury, Essex CM3 4NG Clare Road, Braintree, Essex CM7 2PA High Street, Ingatestone, Essex CM4 9DU Jutland House, White Hart Way, Great Dunmow, Essex CM6 1WX The co-operative travel branches: quadrant, 220 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 0LS quadrant, George Yard, 9/15 Rayne Road, Braintree, Essex CM7 2QA Customer Service facilities: quadrant, 220 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 0LS quadrant, George Yard, 9/15 Rayne Road, Braintree, Essex CM7 2QA

11 Funeral Services Support when you need it... We hold a number of free support groups across Essex for anyone who has been recently bereaved. They are run by volunteers who have been through the same situation, there is no counselling involved, and you don t need to have used our services to attend. For a cuppa, a chat with friendly and understanding people, or for a real lifeline, please consider joining us. When the worst happens, chose the best It s something we don t want to ever think about, but when we eventually need the services of a funeral director we will want to know the best one for us. Chelmsford Star has seven branches across Essex, offering a personal service, guidance and support, twentyfour hours a day, 365 days a year. They offer funerals of all denominations, including non-religious, can supply a range of vehicles, and have been priding themselves on their service for nearly 80 years. But don t just take our word for it; Chelmsford Star Funeral Services has won nine awards for their service in the last eight years! plooking good: Members of our award winning team. To find out more about our services offered, view our online film at: AGM highlight... The continued growth and success of our Funeral business has enabled profitability to reach a new all-time record! Total professionalism and sensitivity at a difficult time. It was a wonderful celebration of mum s life. Name Withheld, Broomfield Where we are:- Broomfield Braintree Danbury Great Baddow Great Dunmow Ingatestone Writtle funerals@chelmsfordstar.coop Your local Co-operative update... 11

12 Co-operation Co-operating Globally A recent study* has shown that Chelmsford Star supports overseas initiatives by investing a far larger percentage of pre-tax profits than even the big supermarkets! Here are a few of the ways Chelmsford Star is punching above its weight, and getting stuck in abroad. * Lesotho is a land-locked kingdom in Africa, and Chelmsford Star is helping them to form their own co-operative farm, so they can provide for themselves, as well as trade with neighbouring countries for much needed income. Since our support began, we are proud to report they have dug out fish-ponds, completed a storage project to provide water for the community and have begun to grow their first harvest of fruit and vegetables. We ve also provided a van for local charity Re-Cycle, who collect unwanted and broken bikes from around Essex and send them to Africa, where they are repaired and put to use. If you have an unwanted bicycle you can call them on or go to to find your closest drop off point. Pond excavated Our Head of Membership has been invited to Spain, where he will be helping to pilot a new European training course on Co-operation, designed to help in the creation of new societies, and to better teach existing ones in ways to be successful. One of our elected Board members, Michael Whalley, has also been invited to Germany to further test the course later in the year. pkeys handed over: Our President hands over the keys to the vehicle to charity organiser Merlin. Wall building Dame Pauline Green, President of the International Co-operative Alliance, and a lady at the very peak of the co-operative movement, says of us, Chelmsford Star may not be one of the biggest co-operatives, but it is highly respected across the world. 12 /chelmsfordstarcoop

13 Community Community pay outs Last year, we issued a bumper amount of cheques to our community groups, but this year looks set to rival it. Groups to benefit this month include St John s Church of England Primary School in Danbury, who raised over 1,000 on their community cards to help repair their swimming pool, and St Augustine Church, in Springfield, who raised 180 towards renovation repairs. Out and about... We will be at a number of events in the coming months. You can catch us at; 2nd May Thriftwood School s charity shop 17th May Essex Age UK s Retro Run. 15 registration. 7th June PARC s charity masquerade ball. Tickets kim.alliston@ parcstaff.co.uk 8th June Blackmore village Medieval Day 18th June Co-operative Women s Guild 21st June Radio Roadshow, Exchange Way store 26th June Race For Business, Chelmsford High St. 24/26th June 3 Foot Festival, Hylands Park 28th June Benyon Primary School fete, South Ockendon 4th July Youth Council football tournament, St. Clare s School 6th July Essex Pride, Central Park, Chelmsford 12th July Writtle Summer fete Danbury Park School Association bought playground equipment last year. Plus, we ll be on our Radio Roadshow, visiting stores across the summer and broadcasting live! For full and updated information, check our website. If you see us, be sure to say hello! tpjoin us: Signing up new members at Braintree quadrant, and new supporters for the Cats Protection, Galleywood. Your local Co-operative update... 13

14 Community Giving Youth a voice Our Youth Council will be holding their annual football tournament on 4th July, raising money for our Charity of the Year. The Youth Council is made up of local students, members and employees aged between 16 22, and meets once a term for up to two hours. They provide us with a unique insight into what we can do to support the co-operators of From the archives It has been 100 years since the beginning of World War One, so to honour the sombre occasion, we ve dug out one of the earliest photos from our archives; our flagship department store in Chelmsford, taken in the run up to England entering into conflict in August At that time, we had 124 employees and by the end of the conflict over 70 had joined the fight, leading to some stores needing to reduce their opening times due to staff shortages. tomorrow, and in return gain additional training and council experience. If you are a younger member and feel you could make a valuable contribution to our business, please membership@chelmsfordstar.coop AGM highlights... Full details of our most recent trading performance are now available in our Annual Report, which can be found online on our Society pages. Extracts have been included throughout this issue, but also include: 2,065 new Society Members Community Card Groups up 11.6% 8,800 awarded to our Community Groups during the year Charity of the Year fundraising hits 200,000 If you have any old photos of one of our stores, please get in touch. We d love to see them! You can them to us at membership@chelmsfordstar.coop or get in touch via The Moulsham Street Central Store (now the quadrant) first opened its doors in

15 Members If you have a question you d like answered, get in touch! Question I ve just looked at my receipt, and all the points I ve been building up have disappeared. Where did they go? C. Garside, Heybridge Answer Although your points may have reduced, you should see further down on your receipt that you now have increased dividend to spend in store. We just announced this year s profits, and we have now calculated your share of it. Question Question My Community Card wasn t accepted at my local branch. Do I need a new one? V. Pittuck, Writtle Answer Maybe, maybe not. Community cards are only accepted at Chelmsford Star stores, as no other co-op in the country has the same initiative. For a full list of our stores, see page 10. If it was not accepted in one of our shops, speak to your contact at the group you are supporting they should have a supply of spare cards or let us know. Question I d like to spend the dividend on my membership card, but I can t remember my PIN number! D. Woods, Galleywood Answer You no longer need a PIN to access your share of the profits. Simply hand the card over during your transaction, and tell the assistant that you d like to use your dividend as either full or part payment. Im earning points but I don t know what they are worth? S. Ealey, Braintree Answer After our AGM in April, the points that our members have been earning throughout the year (2 per 1 spent) are converted into their share of our profits. This year, 1,000 points is worth 7, which is a better rate than Tesco and Sainsbury s loyalty schemes*. *Sainsburys 1,000 = 5 Tesco award 1 point per 1 spent, rather than our 2 points per 1 spent at the time of going to print. Part of Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited Question My partner and I have some money to spend on our membership cards, but when I ve tried to spend it I m told I m not able. Why is this? D. Welsh, Braintree Question Can I use the Community Card to help raise money for my child s school? K. Colgrove, Moulsham Lodge Answer Yes! We have a number of schools, from nursery to secondary level, who already belong to the scheme. To find out if yours is already signed up, contact us now. An application form is available on the community pages of our website. Answer If you and a partner share an account, one of you is the main cardholder whilst the other holds a secondary or clone card. Both earn points, or your share of the profits, but only the main cardholder can spend it. Your local Co-operative update... 15

16 Introducing... Member of the Month Win 30 of shopping vouchers every month! Every month from May, we will be picking one member at random from across our stores and sending them 30 in shopping vouchers. All you need to do to be in with a chance to win them is to use your membership card. It is that simple! Every time you use your card in a Chelmsford Star store, you will have an extra chance to win, so remember to use your card every time you shop - even if you are just popping in to buy your morning paper! Keep an eye out in-store or on our Social Media for details of our winners each month. The more you use your card... the more chances of winning! Good luck! Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society Limited Registered office: 220 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, Essex. Registered number: 973R, Essex members@chelmsfordstar.coop