Woolworths Group

A huge shoutout to Woolworths Group and their transport partner, Primary Connect, for bringing Christmas magic to children in care this year! 🎅🎄 Thanks to their incredible support, more than 80 boxes of presents reached children across Derby, Kununurra, Karratha, South Hedland, Roebourne and Newman just in time for Christmas morning. With their sleigh traveling countless miles, Woolworths and Primary Connect played a key role in spreading joy and their generosity made Christmas brighter for children in care. 🎁To find out more about our Christmas present drive, visit https://docsm.au/3DptvI4

Next year marks the 10-year anniversary of Woolworths Group’s partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section), an alliance that helps their inspiring team, including Primary Health Care nurse Lesley Mallard, provide quality health care in remote and regional communities across the state. The daughter of an adventurous remote area nurse and midwife, Lelsey started her role with the RFDS six years ago after working and raising her sons in remote areas, such as East Arnhem Land, for 20 years. “I grew up living in remote locations and I raised my family in a remote location, so I know what it's like to not have access to health care,” she says. “I know what it's like to not have supermarkets and dentists around, and what it means if you have to travel to see a doctor. “The service we offer is so important.” Woolworths Community Programs Manager Loretta Arrastia could not be prouder of our long-time partnership with RFDS Queensland. “Through our contributions, and the support of our customers and team, we're helping RFDS Queensland to achieve their mission of ‘the furthest corner, the finest care,’” says Loretta. Watch Lesley’s inspiring personal story here https://lnkd.in/gVXEPbZf

We’re so proud of our team who stepped in to save Christmas after thieves stole donations from local Sydney charity Community Cafe Incorporated Outreach Service. When BIG W’s Angela Cerasani saw Community Cafe Incorporated founder and CEO Kirsty Parkes’ appeal on Facebook for toy donations to replace the $5000 worth of toys stolen in a raid on her charity, she hit the phones to rally team members. “Watching Kirsty’s heartbreaking video really tugged at my heartstrings,” says Angela, who is BIG W’s product quality support specialist and a mother of two. Within hours, Kirsty was thrilled to learn Woolworths Group was donating $3000 worth of new toys and an additional $15,000 worth of clothes and homewares. “We are now so ridiculously good that we are doing, for the first time ever, toy hampers for families,” Kirsty says, adding that Angela and her teammates have helped save Christmas for dozens of families. Her charity will provide 600 families with a special Christmas dinner this year, after forging a partnership with seven Woolworths stores in western Sydney over the past two years. “Woolies was a game changer for us as an organisation,” says Kirsty, who adds that 90 per cent of the fresh meat and vegetables and assorted groceries she gives away to families in need come from Woolworths stores. Brad Glasspole, who is store manager at Woolworths in Miller, started the wonderful partnership because he saw firsthand just how tough his community was doing it. “Our support of the Community Cafe is just about bringing that community together,” says Brad, who was inspired to help when he heard about Kirsty and the incredible work she is doing in the financially strapped community. “It’s so rewarding to be a part of it, and to be able to give back and show what good looks like in terms of community,” he says. Brad, who recently celebrated 20 years working at Woolworths in Miller, helped wrap some of the toys donated by BIG W to brighten up the lives of the children in his area. “Christmas is my favourite time of the year.” Thank you to our team who helped save Christmas, and to Kirsty for everything you do for your community. To discover more read here https://lnkd.in/gAh4HWjf

It was a milestone moment for Woolworths Group and Woolworths360 when the foundation cohort of 11 apprentices officially graduated from our four-year refrigeration apprenticeship program at a celebration at the Norwest Support Offices in Sydney on December 12. Looking on proudly was Caroline Fitzgerald, Apprenticeship Program Manager for Woolworths 360 at Woolworths Group. Affectionately known as the ‘Apprentice Mum’, she shared that 10 graduates had been offered permanent jobs with Woolworths Group. “We have worked together to create a step change in the industry for the ’Fridgies of the Future’,” says Caroline. “Our technicians have taken such care in providing outstanding training and support to our apprentices, they have truly made the difference to developing such high-calibre junior technicians.” A multi-award-winning and nominated program for diversity and inclusion, the apprenticeship was launched by Woolworths360 (W360) in 2020 as an opportunity to address the industry-wide skills shortage, introduce industry-leading technological solutions to reach our energy and environmental sustainability goals, and to increase diversity and inclusion in the refrigeration industry. “Fast-forward four years and our original apprentices have succeeded in honing their skills through their hard work on the job and at TAFE to become highly skilled junior technicians,” says Caroline. “We are incredibly proud that the first apprentices from the program are graduating!” Among the graduates was talented ‘trailblazer’ and single mum Amy Murray, who took out Apprentice of the Year and CSQ Outstanding Apprentice of the Year at the recent TAFE Queensland Awards. “I first started working in a Woolworths supermarket to pay the rent and feed my kids,” says Amy. “Now, I have finished a refrigeration apprenticeship and have not just a job but a career. I have never had a career until now. Life is good!” Read Amy’s inspiring story here https://lnkd.in/gQeRPj_E

That's a wrap! BIG W is thrilled to have hosted our first BIG Wrapathon event across our stores nationally, with team members, volunteers and celebrities collecting donations and wrapping over 7,000 gifts on one day for Aussie customers. Tennis champion Lleyton Hewitt, children's DJ Lenny Pearce and beloved entertainer Emma Watkins were among the high profile supporters getting behind the cause over the weekend. In its first year, BIG Wrapathon weekend raised an estimated $50,000 to support children's hospitals and research institutes across the country. The event also celebrated the launch of BIG W's charity wrapping paper, designed by kids' in hospital care with proceeds going back to hospital and research partners. Until Christmas, BIG W is also selling $2 fundraising tokens designed by kids dealing with serious illness. Across BIG W's Christmas fundraiser, to date over $470,000 has been raised for programs supporting sick kids and their families. BIG W will also make a donation of $100,000 to further support these programs. A BIG thank you and congratulations to everyone involved, from our customers to team and volunteers. A special thank you to our partners for the incredibly valuable work you are doing every day for Australian families: Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation (SCHF), Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), Perth Children's Hospital Foundation, Children's Hospital Foundation and Women's & Children's Hospital Foundation. #BIGW #BIGWrapathon

It's very special to be able to share such beautiful stories from team members past and present. Thank you Dot & Maureen for letting us into your home and sharing your story with us 💙

Yesterday we marked the day Percy Christmas opened the first ever Woolworths store in Sydney’ Pitt Street, his grandson Phillip was on hand for the occasion at Woolworths Group’s Norwest Support Office. Beaming with pride, Phillip and his wife Jennifer joined Woolworths Group’s Heritage Centre Manager, Stephen Ward and other team members to commemorate the day Percy officially opened the doors to Woolworths Stupendous Bargain Basement on December 5, 1924. “My grandfather would be incredibly proud if he could only see it now,” says Phillip. “He would be proud of the importance of Woolworths to the Australian economy. “He would be so proud of the support that Woolworths Group gives to society in many different ways and how that they support the community and their team. “It is an honour to be here.” https://lnkd.in/g8CVCeHU

Today is a very special day for Woolworths Group given it marks 100 years since our very first store opened in Sydney’s Imperial Arcade. When founding CEO, Percy Christmas, officially opened the doors to Woolworths Stupendous Bargain Basement in Pitt Street on December 5, 1924, few could have imagined Woolworths would one day operate 1,076 stores and, as a Group, employ 220,000 passionate and diverse team members across our growing network of businesses. We wouldn’t have been able to expand our footprint across Australia and New Zealand and reach our centennial milestone without our incredible team and loyal customers, who play a key role in our rich history. We want to offer a heartfelt thanks to every person who has passed through the doors of our stores over the past 100 years for their support and trust in Woolworths Group. Thank you for being part of our story and our legacy. Our stores may have changed since 1924, but our desire to do our best for our team and our customers every day remains unwavering as we head into our next century. https://lnkd.in/g8CVCeHU

Dot Carratt and Maureen Taylor became best mates after meeting at work 51 years ago and cherish their memories of working together in Western Sydney. Today, as we reflect on our 100 year anniversary, we're celebrating the many life-long friendships made and all the memories shared. Watch more of Dot and Maureen's walk down memory lane below. https://lnkd.in/g8CVCeHU

We've come a long way since our humble beginnings in 1924. Over the past century, we've grown and achieved significant milestones thanks to the extraordinary people who have been part of our journey. From our first store opening on Friday, 5 December, 1924 in Sydney's Imperial Arcade to our expansion across the country and abroad, we want to express our deepest gratitude and pay tribute to everyone who has made it all possible. “We are incredibly proud of our heritage and how far we’ve come together,” says Stephen Ward, our Heritage Centre manager and curator. “As a company, we have never lost sight of our core values of caring for our customers, team, suppliers and community partners, and I’m so proud to have been a part of this journey for 51 years.” Join us as we take a walk down memory lane and revisit some of the key moments that have shaped Woolworths Group. Thank you for being part of our story. https://lnkd.in/g8CVCeHU