Community

Co-op launched its £1 million Warm Spaces funding boost in partnership with Crowdfunder in December. Just by shopping and being a Co-op Member, you’ve so far helped us give more than £400,000 to over 400 groups to help communities stay warm this winter.  Now, with just a few days remaining for groups to apply for…

Sandeep Saib tells us why it’s important to talk about mental health in the run-up to Time to Talk Day.

Thanks to the generosity of our members, we’ve been able to support thousands of local projects and causes during 2022. Here’s how three of them are celebrating the end of a successful year. We spoke to leaders from three different community projects and causes across the UK, which have all received support from Co-op this…

Co-op partners with Your Local Pantry to bring communities together around food. Everyone should be able to eat good food. That’s why Co-op has teamed up with Your Local Pantry to help people enjoy big meals on smaller budgets. Your Local Pantry creates spaces for communities to come together around food. Each Pantry is stocked…

Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, Chelsea Graham, peer development practitioner at the Sunflower Hub cafe in Fife, tells us about supporting mental wellbeing in her community with the help of Co-op When Co-op, Mind, SAMH (the Scottish Association for Mental Health) and Inspire announced their partnership, , the aim was to…

Young people want future communities to be sustainable, inclusive, healthy and safe places where they have the power to influence change, according to exciting new insight gathered by the Co-op Foundation.  We’ve spoken to young people from all over the UK for our research. Findings will help us deliver on our new strategy, due to…

For Farm Safety Week (18-24 July) Caroline Mason, head of agriculture & fish sustainability, explains the importance of raising farm safety awareness and valuing our farmers and growers. At Co-op, we’ve worked with the Farm Safety Foundation, more commonly known as Yellow Wellies, since 2018. Founded by National Farmers Union Mutual, Yellow Wellies is an…

At Co-op, our Local Community Fund provides support to local causes across the country. Amelia Clapham, who you’ll be able to spot in our latest TV ad, is the founder of Ace Music Therapy in Essex. Here she explains how Co-op support makes a difference I set up Ace Music Therapy, a social enterprise that…

Co-op is proud to support and fund apprenticeships for individuals from underrepresented groups through our Levy Share scheme. Here Zafeerah Bagas, an apprentice in fabrication and welding at William Hare and a recipient of Co-op’s Levy Share, tells us about her apprenticeship, as well as her involvement in the Co-op summer TV advert… The first…

When was the last time you heard the phrase ‘world class’? Sporting fans like me will hear it all the time. It’s how we ‘big up’ the next exciting football star.  Foodie fans will hear it, too (hopefully when describing Co-op’s latest ‘Irresistible’ range product). For our charity, the Co-op Foundation, we attach the phrase…

At Co-op, we’re proud to support local (or LGBTQ+) causes all year round. Berny Simcox, CEO of The Wild Mind Project, a Co-op Local Community Fund cause, explains how her project supports young LGBTQ+ people and why Co-op support makes such a difference After seeing the difficulties young people were experiencing with mental health, I…

Every year, Co-op holds its Annual General Meeting, which gives Co-op Members the chance to find out the latest news, as well as to cast votes on a number of motions.