Community Engagement
Whilst at the Co-op, Geoff worked with the Prince of Wales’s Dumfries House Trust to provide a surplus Co-op property for community use. This followed the devastating floods which left much of Ballater village centre under water and without many of the local shops and services.
The Trust undertook a complete refurbishment of the property to provide a new restaurant (The Rothesay Rooms) and Highgrove Shop using the operation to provide training to young people in the community. The photo’s show Geoff with Prince Charles at the official opening of The Rothesay Rooms and also at a small dinner held at Dumfries House in Ayrshire just a few days before Christmas.
Dumfries House is beautiful in its own right, but the work undertaken by the Trust with young people in the community is exemplary.
(Click to see more on Dumfries House)
Deloitte’s Ride Across Britain – Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG) 960 Mile Cycle Challenge. This consisted of cycling an average of 106 miles for 9 consecutive days. The longest single day was 127 miles from Hamilton Race Course to Fort William. A massive physical and mental challenge but hugely rewarding to have completed it.
The photographs show Geoff Player with his former Co-op colleagues Matthew Brumpton and Simeon Hinchliffe. Together, they raised £24,000 for three charities: Shelter; St Rocco’s Hospice; and the National Autistic Society.
Those with sharp eyes will note that Matt and Simeon had completed the ride, showered, changed and had an alcoholic beverage well before Geoff had passed the finish line!
Geoff was a Trustee of St Rocco’s Hospice for 5 years from 2012 to 2017 and was also Chair of the St Rocco’s Shops Ltd trading subsidiary, operating from 9 retail outlets.
For the first time in its history, the subsidiary achieved a turnover exceeding £1.0m in 2015 and in 2017 it also received an award from the Charity Retail Association for the ‘Most Profitable Shops’.
Geoff continues to support the Hospice as a volunteer, providing property advice on new site acquisitions, disposals, lease renewals etc.
6 Rutland Avenue, Stockton Heath, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 6PD
Telephone: 07753 929359 Email: info@taylor-brooks.co.uk
