We recognise our store’s significance for local people and strive to meet their needs

In 2008 I was honoured to receive the Crosshaven Person of the Year Award, which recognises contributions made to village life. In many ways, this is simply a reflection of Centra’s role within our communities today.

Crosshaven is a small coastal village in South East Cork. Tourism, sailing and maritime-related activities are key to the village economy.

As a business, we recognise the store’s significance for local people, and strive to meet their needs in every way possible.

We are involved in a wide range of local events. For example in Crosshaven we:
• sponsor the annual Centra Crosshaven Triathlon, which this year raised €75,000 for local charities, sports and voluntary organisations
• play an active role in many sailing regattas
• provide a ‘meals-on-wheels’ service to the local St Vincent de Paul Society
• run a free home delivery shopping service, which is especially valuable to the elderly
• actively support and promote local suppliers
• host food festivals, displaying the wide range of produce available from the store and the locality

We also plan to incorporate a new organic farmers’ market and a post office into the store.

In addition to these local initiatives, on a personal level I am a crew member of the Crosshaven Lifeboat.

I’m also Chair of the Centra Retailer Council, in which role I’m committed to pushing a sustainability agenda. For example, extensive research on the whole area of energy reduction and sustainable technologies has been completed and trialled in stores. Refrigeration management systems have effected 20 per cent electricity savings in store trials.

What’s clear to growing numbers of Centra retailers is that taking a more rounded and sustainable approach to retail benefits our communities, our businesses and the environment.