Co-Operative Sponsors Progress Estate's 2015 Centennial Celebrations

Press Release no: 2014/02
04 February 2014

The Progress Residents Association is delighted to announce the receipt of a grant of £1,060 from the Co-operative Membership Community Fund.   In the short term, it will finance the production of commemorative mugs, tea-towels, posters and cards, at least some of which will be on sale from the middle of this year.   In due course, it will also meet part of the production costs of the centenary plaque to be mounted in the Progress Hall in 2015.

Allan Cooper, the Association’s Treasurer said ‘We are very grateful to the Co-op for this contribution to our 2015 celebrations.   It serves as a reminder of the historic link between both parties – social housing on the Progress Estate was owned by the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society from 1925 to 1980.'

Denis Allam, Manager of the Co-op’s Well Hall Road store, said ‘Shoppers may choose to donate all or just some of the points they collect on their membership cards to The Co-operative Membership Community Fund.   This fund is distributed to the local groups and projects in their areas.   The communities we serve have always been important to us and with our Community Fund the money donated in your area stays in your area, so you get to see first-hand the good things that are happening as a result of your generosity’. 

Note for Editors:

Originally named the Well Hall Estate, The Progress Estate was built in 1915 to provide housing for the many additional workers the Woolwich Arsenal needed to manufacture the armaments required by the services during the First World War.   Conservation Area status was granted in 1975, in recognition of its unique architectural character.

For additional information, please contact:

Keith Billinghurst

Progress Residents Association committee member
56 Arsenal Road
Eltham
London  SE9 1JY

tel: 020 8856 5593 or 07962 877389
email:               TheProgressEstate@Gmail.com
Twitter:             @ProgressEstate
Website:           www.progressestate.co.uk