Forty community groups from across Central England Co-operative’s trading area will be receiving £43,000 to support their projects.
The co-op gives grants between £100 and £5,000 every three months to various groups tackling various issues of concern for the local community and promoting good causes.
Hepworth Pre-school, based in Towngate, Holmfirth, was handed £1,000 to pay for an outdoor cooking station and seating, which will allow pupils to plant, wash and cook their food while being outside and learning about the environment.
Similarly, Lutterworth Garage Barn will use £2,000 to support a project called ‘seed to plate’, which aims to teach children and families from challenging backgrounds or with learning difficulties about how to grow fruit and veg and how to cook it healthily.
Another area of focus for the society is combating isolation among the elderly. Clifton Campville Village Hall received £770 to support the launch of a new community coffee shop, while Good Companions, which is based in Clifton, Nottingham, will use nearly £2,000 to buy equipment such as TVs, desktop games and a camcorder to help the people it supports.
West Midlands Powerchair Regional League also benefited from a grant of £2,000, which will enable it to buy specialist testing equipment from America to ensure that everyone is playing within the rules before they head into competition.
In Stone, Trans-Staffordshire, a support group launched to help prevent isolation and loneliness within the transgender community was backed by the co-op with a £400 grant. With this funding, the group will buy a laptop and printer that will allow it to provide training and support for schools and colleges across Staffordshire.
Promoting an active lifestyle is also on the co-op’s agenda. Jog Oakwood, based in Ripley, has been handed a £500 grant to pay for items such as first aid kits, body torches and hi-viz jackets in an effort to get people in the community fit and active. Scout groups and sport teams are also going to receive funding from Central England to pay for equipment ranging from new tents to training kits.
Brundall Allotment Association will get over £2,000 to buy a range of machinery for use at the community allotments while Belvedere Park Football Club, based at Shobnall Park, has been handed £1,546 to pay for a new lifesaving defibrillator to be installed at its home ground.
Central England chief executive Martyn Cheatle said: “We are delighted that these great projects and good causes have been handed a grant for the fantastic work they do in the community. Community Dividend Fund grants like this showcase how being a member and continuing to support Central England Co-op helps us as a society continue to invest and fund vital projects in the local area.”
The co-op aims for 1% of its trading profit to be reinvested in local communities across its trading area of 16 counties. Groups can apply for funding on the its website.
