Community groups in Derbyshire celebrate funding support from the Co-op

Local causes in Derbyshire are set to receive a share of £34,109 this month, thanks to funding from Co-op members - taking the total amount awarded across the area since the Local Community Fund launched in 2016 to £313,590.
By Andrew Torr, contributed copyContributor
Published 3rd Nov 2022, 13:02 BST
Updated 3rd Nov 2022, 13:03 BST
Rebecca Birkbeck, Director of Community & Member Participation at Co-opRebecca Birkbeck, Director of Community & Member Participation at Co-op
Rebecca Birkbeck, Director of Community & Member Participation at Co-op

With many community causes experiencing funding challenges and a surge in demand, the money raised when Co-op member’s buy own-branded products and services is being shared by projects to support services in the community, including: The Derbyshire Federation for Mental Health; Darley Dale Pre-School and Derbyshire Cancer Buddies - since the Local Community Fund was launched in 2016 some 78 causes in Derbyshire have benefitted

The latest round of Co-op’s Local Community Fund has supported 4,500 community projects UK-wide, and is estimated to have benefited over 1.3 million people - with causes highlighting that the funding and support will enable them to help people to make a positive change during these challenging times.

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Since 2016, Co-op members have raised £117 million for local communities, including over 30,000 local community projects across the UK through the Co-op’s Local Community Fund - helping to build stronger and more resilient communities by tackling key issues such as access to food, mental wellbeing support and opportunities for young people.

Rebecca Birkbeck, Director of Community & Member Participation at Co-op, said: “I am delighted to see the incredible amount Co-op members have raised, simply by choosing Co-op. We know that the Cost of Living crisis is making it incredibly challenging for many local causes. I’m proud our Local Community Fund can be a life-line, not only promoting the development of stronger, more resilient and fairer communities but also helping people cope with what life throws at them. By listening closely to our local causes, along with data from Co-op's Community Wellbeing Index, and our network of Member Pioneers, it’s helped us bring to life Co-op’s vision of ‘Co-operating for a Fairer World’, providing the long-term investment and support local causes need. Our members have all helped make their communities places where they can be proud to live and work.”

Co-op is owned by its Members, and its family of businesses operate across Food, Funeralcare, Insurance and Legal Services.

Related topics:Co-OpCommunity groupsDerbyshireCo-op's Local Community Fund