Environmental good causes are sharing more than £159,000 raised through Lincolnshire Co-op’s Community Champions scheme.
Several groups received a share of the total including Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust (£29,082), Lincolnshire Rivers Trust (£13,129), Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (£7,012), the Boultham Park project (£5,714) in Lincoln and more.
Community Champions is one way Lincolnshire Co-op gives back to the local area. Since it was launched in 2013, the initiative has helped hundreds of local charities and community groups each year raising amounts from £200 to over £200,000.
The society’s community engagement manager Sam Turner said: “The green groups do a great job in their communities. It could be looking after parks and playing fields or sprucing up community gardens and orchards.
“Now more than ever, our green spaces are an important value and bring people together in their communities.”
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is a voluntary charitable organisation which cares for the county’s wildlife and landscape. More than £29,000 was raised for the charity by Lincolnshire Co-op members and colleagues.
Chief executive of Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Paul Learoyd said: “This funding will enable us to undertake vital nature conservation work across the county which will benefit people and wildlife.
“Projects such as the wildlife garden near the visitors’ centre at Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve will be appreciated by tens of thousands of visitors each year and provides a glimpse of some of the special habitats on this wonderful nature reserve.
“Many of the projects will include volunteers in their delivery; the voluntary work undertaken by so many supporters remains crucial to the charity, enabling so much to be delivered for wildlife. I am very grateful for the support of Lincolnshire Co-op and its members.”
More than 171,000 members raised the total by shopping in Lincolnshire Co-op stores throughout summer. A donation was made each time a member used their dividend card.
Funds were collected from donation boxes in outlets and morewas raised thanks to Lincolnshire Co-op colleagues who organised fundraising events.
The society also has Salvation Army clothing recycling banks on 48 of their sites. Money raised from clothing donations from these banks have been split between the Salvation Army and the Community Champions.
