, ▁the ▁bo ards ▁of ▁the ▁Le ic esters hire ▁and ▁Central ▁Mid lands ▁soci eties , ▁which ▁were ▁finan cially ▁sound ▁and ▁trad ing ▁profit ably , ▁agreed ▁to ▁merge . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 1 8 5 4 , ▁ 7 2 ▁separate ▁mer gers ▁between ▁different ▁soci eties ▁were ▁undert aken ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Mid lands ▁Co - oper ative . ▁ ▁More ▁recently , ▁the ▁Ch ester field ▁Co - oper ative ▁Society ▁was ▁absor bed ▁by ▁the ▁Society ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Il k eston ▁Co - oper ative ▁Society ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁R au nd s ▁Co - oper ative ▁Society ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁M oul ton ▁Co - oper ative ▁Society ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁She ple y ▁Indust rial ▁and ▁Prov ident ▁Society ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁Mid lands ▁Co - oper ative ▁Society ▁merged ▁with ▁Ang lia ▁Regional ▁Co - oper ative ▁Society . ▁The ▁combined ▁Society ▁began ▁trad ing ▁as ▁Central ▁England ▁Co - oper ative ▁with ▁effect ▁from ▁ 2 5 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁Services ▁M emb ership ▁was ▁open ▁to ▁all ▁residents ▁of ▁the ▁Society ' s ▁trad ing ▁area , ▁with ▁members ▁receiving ▁a ▁share ▁of ▁the ▁prof its ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁divid end . ▁ ▁Food ▁ret ail ing ▁The ▁Society ▁operated ▁over ▁ 2