Leek Nub News aims to support our community, promoting shops, businesses, charities, clubs and sports groups. We will be profiling some of these businesses and organisations regularly in a feature called 'Up Close in Leek'.

For this week's Up Close, we're chatting to Scott Cadman, manager at Co-op's Leek store on West Street.

Scott was recently appointed Store Manager but has worked for the Co-op for the past 15 years, starting out as a part time Customer Team Member at Westbury Park, Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Speaking to Nub News, Scott told us all about how he became Store Manager, his favourite parts of the job and gave us the inside story on the Co-op's community ethos and values.

He said: "Whilst in the Newcastle-under-Lyme store, the store manager, Katie Grindley, saw potential and took the time to help develop me and my skills. Eventually a full time Team Leader role came open within my store and I was promoted, not long after I quickly progressed to the position of Team Manager within the store. After that I was moved to a few different stores, at two of which I seconded the manager during the start of the pandemic. After having had a chance to prove myself in the temporary position I was given the opportunity to progress to become a manager in the store I am in today, West Street - Leek.

"My favourite part of being a manager is having the opportunity to see the potential in others and help develop them to reach their goals. I am pleased to work for the Co-op, they have a strong emphasis on an ethical approach to every aspect of their business. Whether it's their diverse and inclusive workforce, their emphasis on Fairtrade or the removal of plastic from many of their packaging and compostable carrier bags. I find that having similar personal values and principles to the Co-op important. The Co-op also values being an open and honest place of work and finds it important to ensure everyone has their say."

Scott also gave us an update on some of the latest local causes the Co-op is supporting in Leek, which include workshops for young people, educational facilities and supporting local radio.

He explained: "One of the local causes we are supporting is Rotton Park Road, which helps facilitate creative writing workshops geared towards younger people, and aims to help improve their creative, social and literacy skills and mental wellbeing. We are also supporting The Rudyard Lake Trust, which is aiming to convert an ex-Navy Captain's boat from World War Two into an educational facility using modern technology. There's also Moorlands Radio Leek, who are aiming to install a new transmitter that will enable the radio station to broadcast to a wider listener base and with a much clearer quality of signal.

Discussing how the Co-op has been able to help the local community throughout the pandemic, he said: "We have done our best to remain open and as well stocked as possible for the community's needs, and with our Food Share programme most stores have a place from which we are able to give good unsold food to support the local community. Having spoken to the staff about the support they have given the community, they have at times been personal shoppers and made deliveries to the vulnerable and those isolating who have had no one else to help them.

And on the Co-op's latest green initiatives, he added: "As for sustainability we have just launched our soft plastics recycling initiative where everyone is able to recycle things like crisp packets and bread bags at our store. As 20% of our products come in soft plastics this is great. All Co-ops have now had single use carrier bags replaced with the compostable carrier bag, and soon the 'Bag for Life' plastic bag will also be removed from sale once we have sold our stock of them, as we found that these were not helping to reduce plastic use due to a lack of people reusing them."

Co-op membership helps support your local community, with great rewards for you too. When you buy selected Co-op branded products and services, 2p for every pound spent goes to you and we'll give the same to local communities.

Join us today online at www.coop.co.uk/membership or in-store.