Thirty charities and community groups handed early Christmas gift after sharing over £50,000 in funding
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 03/10/2017
Thirty charities and groups have unwrapped an early Christmas present after sharing over £50,000 in the latest payout from Central England Co-operative’s Community Dividend Fund.
A diverse range of projects picked from across 16 counties have been handed funding, with the largest single amount given being £5,000.
The Padley Group, in Derby, has been handed the highest amount possible to pay for a suite of iPads to help homeless and disabled people in a variety of ways.
Jane Sandall, development centre manager, said: “You cannot imagine what a difference it will make to the classroom environment and I am so excited about the imaginative work that can now be created by some of our learners that struggle to use some of the regular art medium.
Gartmore Riding School, based in Hall Lane, Hammerwich, will use a grant of over £2,000 to buy a raft of new equipment ranging from soft mats that will allow disabled riders to be seated on the floor alongside able bodied riders to safety equipment such as hats and boots.
Tracy Francis, from the school, said: “Gartmore Riding School is delighted to receive funding from Central England Co-op Community Dividend Fund.
“The group promotes and encourages riding, horse care and stable management for children and adults with physical, emotional and psychological disability. “
Nottinghamshire Independent Domestic Abuse Services provides direct support to children, young people and families who have experienced some form of domestic violence and abuse.
The organisation have been handed a total of £4,890 to help raise awareness of the vital work that it does across schools, colleges and businesses.
Nearly £5,000 will be spent on installing two sensory gardens for good causes in Birmingham.
Nene Park Trust, in Peterborough, has been handed £1,700 to support a project that will see the launch of a plant production nursery that will allow volunteers to grow their own plants from seeds and cuttings.
Head of fundraising Adrian Oates said: “We are thrilled to receive this grant from Central England Co-operative Community Dividend Fund.”
Other groups to receive funding include schools, pre-schools, Scout groups, and football teams.
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.
Martyn Cheatle, Chief Executive of Central England Co-operative, said: “The Community Dividend reflects a key principle of our society, in that we reward the loyalty of our customers by investing in and supporting local communities.
“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 scheme.”
People can apply for funding by heading online and 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
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