Updated February 2021

It is important for all of us to continue to support charities and good causes that will no doubt have been impacted by COVID-19. Since the pandemic began, we have worked closely with our community partners and colleagues to support local charities and good causes, those who are vulnerable and help celebrate the dedication of key workers.

Here are some of the ways we have made a difference so far alongside our colleagues, members and customers:

• £40,000 was donated from our Love Your Neighbourhood programme’s Local Funding, with an additional £2,630 raised through our Director elections; to the Neighbourly Community Fund to support hyper-local groups who are at the frontline helping the vulnerable (more info here).
• We supported the National Emergency Trust (NET) with a donation of £10,000 alongside other co-operatives. NET channelled support into charities dealing with the immediate community impacts of COVID-19 (more info here).
• We committed £50,000 of products to Fareshare, the UK’s largest hunger fighting charity, to support the distribution of product to food banks in the south. Co-op Group (who we have a buying relationship with) has also contributed £1.5m worth of products from the supply chain to support food banks across the UK (more info here).
• Our Bereavement Care has been supporting nursing homes and care in the community; giving people virtual help over the phone, running support groups digitally during the pandemic (more info here).
• Providing ongoing support for Business in the Community’s National Business Response Network. This has provided support for a number of charities such as social distancing signage, face coverings or takeaway containers to provide meals for the vulnerable in communities (more info here).
• Alongside other business’ including Starbucks, Batiste and Kindred, we joined with Scotmid, Central England, Heart of England, Midcounites and East of England Co-ops to partner with NHS Charities Together (NHSCT) to build on our support for NHS key workers throughout the pandemic by raising funds for the charity as it braced itself for a difficult winter. £1 from the sale of all our Co-op festive bouquet s was donated to the charity raising £10,390 for the charity.  Our Cobra Coffee shops raised £1,468.50 with a 50p donation to the campaign from the sale of their Christmas colour changing reusable cup.
• Customers have continued to donate goods to our existing food bank collection points in over 80 of our retail stores.
• Over £85,000 has been raised for more than 125 charities and good causes thanks to the efforts of our retail store colleagues in 2020; as part of our Love Your Neighbourhood Local Partnerships.
• Customers have been popping donations into charity pots at retail store till points, helping to raise funds for Local Partners.
• Work continues on our Safer Neighbourhoods Fund to tackle the causes of crime with £100,000 distributed to local charities who are delivering innovative programmes (more info here).
• We have also developed a list of ways that people can help their local community directly which you can view here.

To ensure we are following Government guidelines and to ensure we keep our colleagues, members and customers as safe as possible, selected fundraising activity is currently suspended in our retail stores and funeralcare branches.

Any enquiries with respect to community support should be directed to our Community Engagement Team via Community@southerncoops.co.uk.