Shoppers part with vouchers worth £37,000 to support local causes

Southern Co-op said its members have opted to donate more than £37,000 to local causes rather than receive vouchers to spend at their local store.

The consumer co-operative has split a total of £37,951 between food redistribution charity Fareshare and the Neighbourly Community Fund, which provides micro-grants of up to £400 to good causes supporting people affected by the pandemic.

More than £61,000 has now been donated by Southern Co-op and its members to the Neighbourly Community Fund which has helped 100 local causes across the south of England.

“As a regional co-operative, we’re always doing our best to support our local communities but the latest donations from our members show they also echo these values which is incredibly special,” Holly Bramble, Southern Co-op’s community and campaign co-ordinator, said.

In addition to the members’ contribution, Southern Co-op has donated £12,000, with individual stores donating up to £500, to support 26 local causes across the south.

“A lot of local causes have been deeply affected by the pandemic and people are still trying to claw their way out of devastating situations. So we hope, by all of these donations going to so many local causes, that it will make a difference where it is needed most,” Bramble added.

Local causes near to a Southern Co-op retail store or funeral branch can now apply for the next round of local funding applications.

More than £20,000 of small grants is also available via the Neighbourly Community Fund thanks to members’ donations of their shares of the profits, a £40,000 donation from Southern Co-op and £2,600 raised through voting for the Board of Directors.