Central England Co-op donates £5k to boost five projects in Norfolk and Suffolk
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 23/04/2018
Five projects in Norfolk and Suffolk are celebrating after sharing over £5,800 in the latest payout from Central England Co-operative’s Community Dividend Fund.
A wide range of groups, organisations and charities were handed grants, with a total of £45,000 handed out to 40 good causes across 16 counties.
A project designed to bring men together to build strong relationships, combat loneliness and provide support in times of need has been given a £4,000 funding boost.
Lowestoft Men’s Shed will use the grant to continue its work in providing people with the chance to pursue hobbies, share skills and socialise.
Ray Ball, from the group, said: “We are grateful that Central England Co-op’s Community Dividend Fund has supported our project. We will now be able to increase the variety of community users and the ability to plan events all year round.”
Lactation Motivation is a charity that offers help and support for mothers in and around Kings Lynn who breastfeed or wish to breastfeed their babies. It has been handed £400 to buy play mats and toys for youngsters attending with their parents.
Pakefield Singers will soon be wowing the crowds on a brand new stage after being granted £749 from the Community Dividend Fund to pay for vital new equipment.
A social activity group for people with special education needs over the age of 19 in Eye has been handed a boost to support a range of projects.
Organisers of Debenham Girls Group will use £263 to start several new activities ranging from arts and crafts to gardening.
Billy Brown School of Boxing, in Thetford, will use £390 to ensure its base is environmentally friendly with the installation of LED lighting.
This follows in the footsteps of work undertaken by Central England Co-op to install LED lights in hundreds of its stores.
Lowestoft store manager Paul Baldwin said: “We are delighted that these great projects and good causes have been handed a grant for the great work they do in the community.
“Community Dividend Fund grants like this showcase how being a member and continuing to support Central England Co-op helps us as a Society continue to invest and fund vital projects in the local area.”
Grants of between £100 and £5,000 are handed out every three months to a wide range of applicants.
The fund guarantees that at least one per cent of the Society’s trading profit is reinvested in local communities in a bid to help projects to thrive across its trading area of 16 counties from the Midlands to the east coast.
People can apply for funding by visiting https://communities.centralengland.coop/
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.
Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop
Notes to editors
Picture caption: Members of five groups across Norfolk and Suffolk celebrated being handed their grant from the Central England Co-operative Community Dividend Fund.
About Central England Co-operative
Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK.
It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, and property investment.
Central England Co-operative has over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. The Society has an ambitious food store development programme for 2018.
Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility. It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence. The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.
Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop
For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth / Heather Clapton at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop