DOZENS of causes across Gwent received an early Christmas present this week, when Co-op revealed an £80,000 funding boost from its members.

The money will be shared by 36 organisations, including in Gwent:

  • Usk Primary School PTFA - £3,816.94
  • The Monmouth Savoy Trust - £3,711.76
  • All Creatures Great and Small Animal Sanctuary - £3,703.34
  • 1st Griffithstown Scout Group - £2,848.97
  • Home Start Blaenau Gwent - £2,697.45
  • Inside Out Cymru - £2,377.30
  • Blackwood Town Cricket Club - £2,279.48
  • New Life Christian Church - £2,184.78
  • Shopmobility Newport - £1,959.86
  • Malpas Cricket Club - £1,719.32
  • 2077 (Pontyclun) Air Cadet Squadron - £1,681.86

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This is the latest round of pay outs from the local community fund and brings the amount the Co-op members have invested in causes in Gwent since the scheme launched in September 2016 to £298,000.

Nationally, nearly 4,500 groups are sharing more than £17 million, bringing the total value of the fund since its launch to over £56 million.

Rebecca Birkbeck, director of community and shared value and the Co-op, said: “The local community fund is now a well-established way of supporting local causes who help make communities safer, happier, and healthier places to live, and we’re delighted to be able to support such a wide range of local groups as they help to improve wellbeing in Gwent.

“By choosing their local cause online, our members are telling us what really matters in their communities, and we have used this information to help us identify new groups to support throughout next year.

“Feedback from our own community wellbeing index – which highlights the areas where communities can benefit from support – has shown us that we should be focused on protecting and improving community spaces, helping people reach their full potential by developing their skills, and promoting health and wellbeing”.

When members shop with the Co-op, one per cent of what they spend on selected Co-op branded products and services goes to support local causes through the Local Community Fund.

By joining the Co-op’s membership scheme, shoppers can contribute to the money raised for the causes and can choose which of these causes they wish to support by logging onto the Co-ops membership website at www.coop.co.uk/membership.