Community projects are sharing a £42,000 payout from Central England Co-operative’s Community Dividend Fund, which reinvests at least 1% of the society’s trading profit in local communities.
Grants of between £100 and £5,000 are handed out every three months, and this round has seen 24 good causes benefit.
In Corby, Northamptonshire, Action for Asperger’s has been awarded £4,050 to pay for the creation of bags filled with sensory toys. Used as part of the service’s specialist autism support, the toys help relieve heightened emotional states in people aged from five up to 100 years old.
Farndon Fields Primary School in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, will use a maximum grant of £5,000 to completely transform its outdoor space. The work will see the creation of mud kitchens, den making areas, a sensory garden and an allotment for children to grow their own vegetables.
Burton and District Mind in East Staffordshire has been handed £2,600 to buy sofas, chairs and tables to revamp its group therapy room.
Droitwich Spa Meeting Centre in Worcestershire has been awarded £2,500 for a new scheme that will help people living with dementia by bringing back feelings, memories and abilities associated with their favourite tunes. The grant will help pay for everything from MP3 players to earphones.
The fund has also supported local sports teams, playgroups, village halls and a range of important charities and good causes.
Central England Co-operative chief executive Debbie Robinson said: “We are delighted that these great projects have been handed a grant for the fantastic work they do in the community.
“Community Dividend Fund grants like these showcase how by being a member and shopping at your local Central England Co-op store allows us to continue to fund vital projects in the area.”
