Seven groups across Leicestershire handed £9,490 funding boost thanks to Central England Co-op

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 08/07/2019


A unique community library scheme and a bid to create more play areas for people with disabilities were among the projects awarded a share of an £9,490 community grant in Leicestershire thanks to Central England Co-operative.

Seven groups, organisations and charities shared the payout, with a total of over £44,000 handed out to 36 good causes across 16 counties.

Rothley Community Library is aiming to encourage the love of reading across the area will the launch of a brand new scheme.

A grant of £1,040 will be used to create a series of community book boxes that will be situated everyway from village parks to pubs.

The wooden and water proof boxes will be filled with books for all ages in an effort to attract more people to read and then visit the library, in Mountsorrel Lane.

Sue Barnes, from the library, said: “Our aim with this project is to introduce families to the library by setting up 10 community book boxes in each of the local village parks, village centre and local public houses. “

Disabled youngsters in Whitwick will soon be able to enjoy a brand new specialist piece of play equipment. The Woodstock in Whitwick Group has been handed £5,000 to buy the equipment as an attempt to make several parks in the area accessible to more people.

Stokeswood Allotment Society has been handed £500 to buy a new freezer to reduce running costs and to improve its ability to cook for more events.

Lenny Moule, from the society, said: “We would like to say a big thank you to Central England Co-operative for their continued support in helping to improve our community.”

A total of £800 has been donated to Aylestone Football Club to pay for a brand new kit and footballs.

Lutterworth Community Allotment will spend £600 to pay for a new tool store and poly-tunnel after moving to a new site and in an effort to try and attract young families to volunteer and learn about healthy eating.

Penny Trethewey, from the community allotment, said: “We can’t wait to go shopping and install all the new items at the plot.”

A total of £1,000 will be spent by Broom Leys Primary School, in Coalville, as part of an ambitious project to revitalise a pond to teach youngsters more about the outdoors.

Hayley Barnard, deputy head teacher, said: “Over the past few years, the school's gardening club has become extremely popular; the addition of a new potting shed will allow children to grow plants and bulbs year-round.”

Everything from new cooking equipment to camping fridges will now be available to 2nd Kibworth Guides following a grant of £550.

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/

Central England Co-operative Store Manager Steven Towers said: “We are delighted that these great projects and good causes have been handed a grant for the fantastic work they do in the community.

“Community Dividend Fund grants like this showcase how by being a member and shopping at your local Central England Co-op store allows us as a Society to continue to invest and fund vital projects in the area.”

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 groups in Leicestershire 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, travel shops, 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 2019.

 

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 member 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 and James Brindle at Central England Co-operative on 01543 421390

 

Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop