Success and celebration at CRTG charity supplier awards

The Co-operative Retail Trading Group (CRTG) raised over half a million pounds at its 2009 Charity Supplier Awards Dinner, held at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel.

The spectacular event, which recognises companies that have made a significant contribution to the success of CRTG in the past 12 months, raised a record £505,000 for charity.

Actress Cherie Lunghi is pictured (second left) presenting a cheque for £250,000 to Jackie Ballard, Chief Executive Officer, RNID (second right), along with The Co-operative's Peter Marks, Group Chief Executive (left), Tim Hurrell, Managing Director, Food Retail and  Anne Edwards, Campaign Advisor.

Entertainment was provided by special guest and much-loved Australian artist and entertainer, Rolf Harris, whilst England Women’s cricket sensation, Claire Taylor, who helped England retain The Ashes this summer, presented the awards to the winning suppliers.

But the big winners on the night were the numerous charities nominated by CRTG Societies to share in the overwhelming success of the supplier-sponsored event.  More than two dozen national and local charities across the UK will benefit, including RNID (Royal National Institute for the Deaf), The Co-operative Group’s Charity of the Year, the British Heart Foundation (Midlands Co-operative Society), Help the Hospices (Midcounties) and Macmillan Cancer Support (East of England).

TV personality Chris Tarrant helped raise £50,000 on the night for the Variety Club of Great Britain, through a charity auction with a fabulous selection of lots, including a spectacular trip to New York.  Raffle prizes included a brand new Mini Cooper 1.6, £5,000 in Co-operative Travel vouchers and tickets to see Beyonce at the 02 Arena with accommodation in a five-star London hotel.
 
Tim Hurrell, Managing Director, Food Retail, The Co-operative Group, said: "The awards evening was an overwhelming success and I'd like to thank the suppliers involved for their tremendous generosity and support in helping to make the evening such a special occasion, and also for their contribution to the success of CRTG throughout the past year. I’d also like to say a special thank you to David Messom and his team, who did much of the organising for this event.”

Master of Ceremonies at the event was David Messom, Director, Food Retail Trading, The Co-operative Group, who was also full of praise for the valuable role played by CRTG suppliers.  Announcing the award winners, he said whilst in some categories there were outright winners, others were extremely closely fought, including that of Supreme Supplier of the Year – which was awarded to two suppliers, Robert Wiseman Dairies and Dunbia.

And the winners were…