Thousands of pounds raised

Thousands of pounds raised for local community causes

More than £14,500 has been raised by cooperative colleagues and customers in Bristol and Somerset. More than £5,800 was raised at 13 stores for Julian Trust - a Night Shelter for homeless people and rough sleepers in Bristol.

Thousands of pounds will be shared between 10 separate charities and good causes which were the 2021 local partners of The Cooperative Food stores in Bristol and Somerset.

The money was raised through collection pots and fundraising activities at the Southern Co-op stores and will be rounded up to make sure each charity receives at least £1,000.

Holly Bramble, Community Lead at the regional, independent co-operative, said: "Each of these local causes makes a difference in their local community. It is incredibly important to us, our colleagues and our members to make sure we support them in their efforts - whether that is a local school working to be more sustainable, or a charity which cares for people in need. "So we'd like to thank every shopper who put their pennies in the collection pots and every colleague who organised a fundraising activity. It's been a tough few years but it is wonderful to see people continuing to support each other where they can." Joanne Brown, Trustee at Julian Trust, said: "We are absolutely thrilled and humbled to be chosen by Southern Co-op for your fundraising. The Julian Trust is wholly staffed and managed by volunteers and relies entirely on voluntary donations of food and money in order to feed and accommodate homeless people and rough sleepers in Bristol so this money will go directly towards our mission - to offer 'a hot meal, a bed for the night and a warm welcome' to those in need.

"We are planning to carry out a well-overdue replacement of our floor in the night shelter this summer so your fantastic fundraising will be utilised towards that. This will ensure that the work of the volunteers can continue and the maintenance of the building will be safe for the future. We couldn't do any of this without your valuable support."

A further £600 was raised in May this year for the Ukraine DEC Appeal as a number of store colleagues took part in a hike up Pen Y Fan.

The other local causes benefitting from the funding are 34th Weston-Super-Mere Scouts, BARB Search and Rescue, Conquest Centre, Dorothy House Hospice Care, Kingshill Friends Association, Marie Curie Bridgwater Fundraising Group, The Hub - Yeovil Community Support Charity, The Royal Marines Charity, and Vallis First School.

Stores that took part in the fundraising in Bristol and Somerset were The Co-operative Food in Banwell's Knightcott Road; Bath's Widcombe Hill; Bedminster's North Street; Bridgwater's Stockmoor Park; Bristol's Ashley Down Road, Church Road, Longdown Avenue, Redcliffe Street, School Road, Two Mile Hill Road, Wells Road, and Whiteladies Road; Burnham on Sea's Berrow Road; Cotford St.Luke's Graham Way; Frome's Nunney Road; Hanham's Memorial Road; Keynsham's Queens Road; Nailsea's Hannah More Road; Norton Fitzwarren's Morse Road; Pill's Baltic Place; Portishead's Port Marine; Taunton's Wellington New Road; and Yeovil's Mudford Road. Every year, each of Southern Co-op's local food stores choose a local partner which aims to create greener, safer, healthier or more inclusive neighbourhoods. Southern Co-op's Love Your Neighbourhood programme also enables charities and local causes to apply for grants of up to £500 to help sow the seeds to a secure, stronger future for everyone.

To find out more about local funding and other support available, visit: www.neighbourly.com/SouthernCoop/campaigns.