Lincolnshire Co-op customers raise £45k for charity

Lincolnshire Co-op members have raised £45,135 in three months for 84 local causes, just by shopping.

The money was raised through the Community Champions scheme, where all of the Co-op’s 230,000 members are linked to a cause close to where they live.

Then, whenever a member uses their dividend card in a Lincolnshire Co-op store, a donation from the Community Champions pot goes towards their local good cause.

The groups change every three months so different organisations can benefit from the scheme.

Since it began in March 2013, the scheme has funded over 300 groups across Lincolnshire with a total of £192,750.

Causes that have benefitted from funding include football teams, churches, nurseries, lunch clubs and more, and the Co-op welcome new group sign ups.

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Member Engagement Manager Richard Whittaker said: “Once again our members have helped us raise a fantastic total which will enable many groups in their local areas to complete exciting projects.

“Our Community Champions scheme has also reached its first birthday and we’re thrilled that over the year we have been able to support more than 300 groups with nearly £200,000.

“This new way of sharing our profits ensures that members see the difference that shopping with us makes in their own communities.”

Causes which benefitted from the Community Champions scheme in 2014 locally include:

• £1189.54 for Welton St Marys School Friends Association for a maths garden for the school, a poly tunnel and a willow structure for the school field.
• £1033.80 for 15th Lincoln Scout Group to replace the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts much-used camping equipment.
• £740.95 to Bailgate Methodist Church for improvements to the church frontage, including new glass doors.
• £726.20 for Friends of Navenby School (FONS) to create a science/sensory trail and contribute to an outdoor learning classroom.
• £643.38 for the Lincoln Toy Library to develop a range of ethnic bags containing items relating to specific cultures.

The next group of causes will all have a health related theme, and shoppers can see which is their most local cause by looking at the bottom of their receipts.