A dividend share of £1m among 100,000 members was approved at East of England Co-op’s annual member’s meeting (AMM) last week.
The meeting, which took place at East of England Co-op’s central support office on 21 May, included a community and supplier showcase in Wherstead Park’s historic mansion building.
Seven of the hundreds of local community groups and charities supported by the retailer joined this year’s AMM to share their work in the region. This included Project Apis, a charity using beekeeping to bring people together, and Colchester United Community Foundation, which is receiving support from the society to run its weekly wellbeing session for older adults.
Members could also take part in tastings from some of the retailer’s local producers including jams and spreads from Tiptree, strawberries from Honey Tye, cooked meats from Lane Farm, condiments from Stokes Sauces and local ale and cyder from Aspall, Mauldons and Woodforde’s.
Earlier this month, the East of England announced a £2m profit, increasing for the third year running despite a tough retail environment.
Related: Not just a shop – a day with East of England Co-op
“Achieving a £2m trading profit is a fantastic achievement,” said society president Mandy Errington, “which everyone across the organisation has worked hard for and should be immensely proud of.
“It was a privilege to host our AMM for the first time since being elected president earlier this year. The energy and enthusiasm in the room, as members came together to celebrate our success and help shape the future of our co-op, was a powerful reminder of what makes member-owned organisations so special.
“I am passionate about the role the East of England Co-op plays in building stronger, fairer communities, and none of this would bepossible without the continued support of our members and the communities we serve.”
The meeting also included the results of the board election, which saw six candidates standing for three place. Sally Longmate and Mark Sargeantson were elected, with Sally Chicken re-elected for a further four-year term. .
