The three beneficiaries of this year’s ‘Local Community Fund’ – courtesy of shoppers at the Ruddington Co-op Supermarket – have just been announced.
It’s revealed that Ruddington District Girl Guiding, NG11 Foodbank and the Together@Clifton wellbeing group will all receive cash from the new round of funding – which runs from 27th October 2019 until 24th October 2020.
Member Pioneer for Ruddington and Clifton, Gwen Eyre, told us: “The Ruddington Co-op store and the Co-op Funeralcare in Clifton are really excited to be working with these three causes in the coming year. Anyone can apply for a membership card for £1. Then, every time a member shops at Co-op, 1% of what they spend on selected own-branded products and services goes to help fund community projects where they live.
“We also give all money raised from shopping bag sales to our causes, to help even more” added Gwen. “This made a total of £19 million given to local causes in November 2018. On top of this when members buy selected products and services from us, including our food stores, we put 5% of their spend into their Co-op Membership account.”
You can find more details at https://coop.co.uk/membership.
Joint commissioner of Ruddington District Girl Guiding, Sandy Flavill, said: “We are so excited that we have been chosen as one of the Co-op community fund groups! Can we please ask that you log into your membership account and choose us as your cause. This opportunity will enable us to do so much with the girls as well as update equipment. We will be a chosen cause for a year, so please, please support us!”
NG11 Foodbank volunteer Jill Reedman told us: “It is great news that Ruddington Co-op has chosen us as one of its local causes. The Foodbank relies on the support of the local community. Sadly there is still a need for emergency food parcels for those in crisis, including some Ruddington residents. The Co-op in Ruddington has long supported the NG11 Foodbank by hosting a permanent basket for donations and allowing volunteers to appeal for donations at Christmas (see photo). The extra funds provided by this initiative will be most useful in helping to alleviate the distress caused by food poverty.”
Chair of The Wainman Trust, Olwen Davis, which runs Together@Clifton said: “We’re delighted to have been selected by the Co-op as one of their ‘Good Causes’. Our Friendship Club for older people who are feeling isolated or lonely will be equally delighted. The funding will be put to very good use in providing activities and outings for the members.”
Each of the above groups is now encouraged to rally its supporters to sign up and nominate them as their Good Cause. You can choose yours by first clicking on the relevant image above. If members don’t nominate a specific cause then the 1% goes into a big pot and is split equally between the three.
The announcement comes as a £1m interior refurbishment of Ruddington’s Co-op (below) nears completion. It’s due to be finished and officially relaunched this Thursday, October 31st.
UPDATE 13th November 2019
The totals for the Co-op Local Community Fund payout in 2018/2019 have been revealed:
- Bloomin’ Dementia – £5610.45
- St Peter’s Church – £4827.65
- Friends of Rushcliffe Country Park – £5227.10
Gwen says: “I’m so pleased. Thank you to all the customers of Ruddington Co-op and Clifton Funeralcare”.
