Go BIG for Barnardo’s

More than a third of young people don’t feel positive about their future*. We want to help by raising £5m to support positive futures for 750,000 young people. 

Our partnership with Barnardo’s** recently hit a huge milestone of raising £3.5m thanks to Co-op colleagues, members and customers. 

Thanks to you, we’re supporting young people online through advice and information on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Platforms that young people use in the same way older generations use Google to search for advice – did we just make you all feel old?!  

We’re also delivering in-depth support in the communities that need it most. This includes ‘Hurlford Helping Hands’, a community pantry, providing local residents access to 12 essential items weekly for £4.50, as well as transforming a disused space. 

Thanks to Co-op colleagues who have held walkathons, car washes, raffles and tombola’s, cold water swims and more to help raise funds, we’ve also launched services in areas such as: 

• Magic Minds in Rhyl – weekly sessions and holiday activities that young people help plan and deliver, focussing on wellbeing including games, sport and getting outside; as well as confidence building activities. 

• Burslem Youth Connect in Stoke-on-Trent – weekly and holiday sessions focused on food, wellbeing and skills, for example sessions on anti-bullying, cooking skills, and volunteering. 

• Carlisle Youth Connect in Carlise – weekly and holiday sessions on food, wellbeing and opportunities, for example learning new skills, talking about mental wellbeing and creating and sharing meals.  

Since the partnership launched last year, we’ve supported over 100,000 young people so far. 

All our partnership support is co-produced by young people for young people. 

Go BIG for Barnardo’s  

Help us hit our £5m target by either donating at till instore or online. £50,000 from the sale of our festive sandwich range (in stores from 30 October) will be donated to our partnership. So, get in the Christmas spirit, pick up a sandwich and help our partnership to bring communities together to support young people. 

Or, choose a pack of Radox, as they’re donating £25,000 to our partnership. Over £400,000 has been raised by our suppliers for the partnership, such as Cadbury, Galaxy, Haagen Dazs, Hallmark, McCains, McVities, Nuii, Pot Noodle and Walls.  

If you or someone you know needs support or to find out more about the partnership, visit coop.co.uk/SupportYoungPeople   

* ‘Youth Opportunities Tracker: Fairer Futures’ – Co-op and Barnardo’s, May 2023  

**Barnardo’s is a registered charity (216250 / SC037605)