Five Peterborough charities receive vital funding from Co-op

Thousands of pounds has been donated to charities

A wide range of charities and community organisations were delighted to receive the funding boost during these uncertain times.

Groups apply for between £100 to £5,000 every two months to support all manner of projects after, for the past 12 months, the fund was temporarily repurposed to support good causes impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. During that time, 116 good causes across Central England have shared over £175,000.

The latest funding has seen five charities in Peterborough benefit.

Green Back Yard has been given £1,690 to buy a range of items to help the work of the community green space.

Kathy Shaw, Trustee for the Green Back Yard, said: “The Central England Co-op grant will help us buy equipment for volunteers to develop a local community food growing project. The equipment will assist in producing food to sell locally from our site.”

Peterborough Elderly Christmas Shoebox Appeal has been given £500 to create shoeboxes filled with vital essentials for those who live in sheltered accommodation and care homes.

Social Echo North Huntingdonshire CIC has also been given £500. The money will be used to create extra storage space.

Little Miracles has been granted £1,040 to support families with additional needs in a range of ways from food parcels to toys and clothes.

Deafblind UK has received £2,000 which will help the ongoing cost of a variety of support programmes.

Gerry Reilly said: “Deafblind UK is enormously grateful to the Central England Co-operative who have awarded us £2,000 from their Community Dividend Fund. Those affected by dual sensory loss are marginalised and isolated, and this has been made much worse by the pandemic. This grant will allow us to provide much needed wellbeing and emotional support and where appropriate allow us to provide a telephone befriender. These services can make the world of difference to our beneficiaries.”

Jim Watts, Society Secretary at the Central England Co-op, said: “Community Dividend Fund grants 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 – especially during uncertain times like these.

“Our relaunched fund aligns with our new Society Purpose to create a sustainable Society for all and we are delighted to share these funds with these amazing groups and cannot wait to see how they use it to benefit their local community.”

To apply, members will need: name, address, membership number, organisation type, organisation bank account or constitution and to explain what the group does, how the grant will be spent and the specific impact it will have related to Covid-19.

People can find out the full criteria and how to apply for funding by visiting https://www.centralengland.coop/community/