Eleven groups in Birmingham share over £18,000 thanks to Community Dividend Fund in 2017
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 13/12/2017
Central England Co-operative can today reveal that it has helped change the lives of 11 groups and charities in Birmingham – by donating over £18,000 from its Community Dividend Fund in 2017.
A diverse range of projects were handed a funding boost during the past 12 months, with the largest single amount given being £5,000.
In total, 122 organisations spread out across 16 counties shared a funding pot of £209,000.
In Birmingham, the Jaffray Care Society, in Erdington, offers residential and nursing care to adults with learning disabilities. They were handed £2,500 as part of a bid to build a special sensory garden.
Tracey Dunkley, from the society, said: “Lime Court Nursing Home is situated in a quiet residential area in lovely gardens.
“The money from the Community Dividend Fund was used to build a sensory garden in the grounds.”
A total of £1,755 has been handed to MROC 4x4 Response, based in Solihull, to pay for a new radio system for the group who work with the local authority and emergency services during civil emergencies such as severe weather or catastrophic incidents or evacuations.
The group provides 24-hour, 365 days a year on-call service and the new radios will allow volunteers to communicate more easily if they are ever needed to support in an emergency.
Action 4 Bullying has been handed £2,315 for new equipment ranging from pool tables to sports equipment.
The registered charity supports young people aged 11 to 19 who are experiencing bullying. It offers a safe and environment where they can take part in activities such as dance, drama, sports and arts and crafts.
John Fisher, from the project, said: “It is grants like this that have enabled our charity to grow and develop into a project that is seen as a vital support network to many young people who have been affected by bullying.”
Everyone from schools and churches to support groups and volunteer organisations benefited from the fund that 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 from the Midlands to the East Coast.
Martyn Cheatle, Chief Executive of Central England Co-operative, said: “We have handed out £209,000 to projects in our communities in 2017 – with £18,000 of that being right here in Birmingham.
“The Community Dividend Fund reflects a key principle of our society, in that we reward the loyalty of our customers by investing in and supporting local communities.
“The scheme helps to benefit a wide variety of projects, with grants between £100 to a £5,000, which will make the communities that we serve a better place for our members to live, work and visit.
“I would like to urge all of our members to get in touch and put forward a community cause close to their heart for the Community Dividend Fund scheme.”
Notes to editors
Picture caption: Awardees were all smiles after picking up their Community Dividend Fund cheques in 2017.
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 gross sales of £927 million in 2016/17. The Society’s principal areas of activity are 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 2017.
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