Meet your local Communities

More than 100,000 Co-op Members joined in with our summer campaign as we showcased how members like you are powering amazing work in communities across the UK, simply by shopping with us.

During the 7-week email campaign, which ran throughout June and July, Co-op Members from across the country told us all about their favourite Co-op own brand products, and learned how they are making great things happen in communities just by swiping or scanning their membership card.

Overall, a whopping 107,000 members joined in an incredible 182,000 times to hear our members’ stories as we aimed to bring you closer to the community projects you fund. 

Here’s a round-up of the members and groups who were the stars of the campaign.

Supporting our Member Pioneers

In Week 1 we met Boudicca, a Co-op Member from Exeter.

“I drink a lot of coffee and usually carry a cup wherever I go. It’s amazing to learn that just by buying Co-op’s Fairtrade coffee I’m also raising the funds to support the work of my local Member Pioneer.

“It was great to meet Sarah and find out about her role. I learned how she works with local causes to support the amazing work that these volunteers are doing in my local area.

“She also lends a hand, attends events and gets members like me involved in my community too.”

Raising funds for local causes

In Week 2 we met Fionnuala, a Co-op Member from County Tyrone, who spent the day visiting her local cause, Me You and Them, to learn more about what they do.

“It was great to spend a day visiting one of my local causes – Me You and Them. I learned how they provide help with food, household essentials, a drop-in centre, and a befriending service.”

“It’s a nice feeling to know that while I’m enjoying my usual Friday evening treat of Co-op Wensleydale cheese with Cranberries, I’m also raising the funds to support the Co-op Local Community Fund.”

Supporting our Co-op Academies

In Week 3 we met Sharon, a Co-op Member from Bradford, who was surprised and delighted to learn that every time she buys her favourite Co-op Irresistible salted caramel cookies, she is also supporting her local Co-op Academy.

“I recently visited Co-op Academy Delius in Bradford to find out more about their facilities and hear about their eco club – a project funded by Co-op Members.

“Watch my video to find out what I learned when I went back to school for the day.”

Supporting opportunities for young people

In Week 4 we met Jack, a 21-year-old Co-op Colleague Member from Macclesfield, who spent a day learning about how – every time he swipes his membership card when buying his favourite Co-op own-brand product is Sea Salt and Chardonnay Vinegar Crisps – he is also creating opportunities for young people.

“I visited Co-op’s support centre in Manchester and was given a tour of the building and saw a model of the new Co-op Live arena. I heard about how – as well as being an incredibly sustainable venue – it will offer job and apprenticeship opportunities to local young people.

“It was particularly interesting to learn about Co-op Young Members’ Group (CYMG) – a group of young members aged 16-25 who regularly work with Co-op to make sure that young member voices are being included and heard. I also heard about the Peer Action Collective (PAC), a group of 10 to 25-year-olds working together to help young people live a life free from violence.”

Helping with mental wellbeing support

In Week 5 we met Kitty, a Co-op Member from Cardiff, who learned how members’ money is bringing communities together around bereavement and grief.

“I visited Cruse Bereavement Support Hub in Splott and met with Nigel, one of the community officers from Cruse, who explained how the hub brings the community together to support one another with bereavement and grief. As well as plenty of support leaflets, there were lots of books about loss that people can borrow to help them with their own and others grief.

“As a Co-op Member, it makes me feel empowered to know that every time I swipe my membership card and enjoy some of my favourite Co-op Irresistible Luxuriously Creamy Vanilla Custard, I’m also making a huge impact by funding projects like this.”

Supporting the Co-op Foundation

In Week 6 we met Mike, a Co-op Member from Surrey, who learned how members’ money is supporting projects with the Co-op Foundation, the Co-op’s charity, every time he buys his favourite Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade dark chocolate with orange.

“Funded through the Co-op Foundation’s #iwill Fund, I visited Mencap’s Dickeridge Community Centre in Surrey, to find out more about the group and how I’m helping to raise the money to support them just by shopping at Co-op.

“I learned about how the project supports young people with learning disabilities, difficulties, or autism to undertake various projects – including refurbishing an allotment, building a shed, and growing food for distribution at the centre’s Foodbank.”

Funding fairer access to food

In partnership with Your Local Pantry and supported by members through our Community Partnerships Fund, we’ve made real progress in our bid to tackle food poverty.

In the final week of our campaign, June – a Co-op Member who lives in Edinburgh – visited Leith Pantry to find out how they’re helping people receive fairer access to food, and learned how she is supporting the pantry every time she buys her favourite Co-op salmon fillets.

“When I visited the Leith Pantry in Edinburgh, I met up with Ann who described how the project operated. She was joined by three volunteers who also gave their experiences in the project.

“They explained how Your Local Pantry members at Leith Pantry pay £4.50 a week and are allowed to choose 10 products from a wide range of both ambient and fresh food. There are also non-food products such as toiletries and cleaning products. The value of the goods they get is much higher than the £4.50 paid. They also get free fresh fruit and vegetables.

“By choosing Co-op own brand products and swiping my membership card not only am I benefiting myself, I am also helping others, and that’s a great feeling to have.”

What Co-op Members told us

Members loved getting involved in the weekly email campaign and those who participated said their knowledge of our community programmes had increased with many more likely to shop own brand in the future.

“Really informative campaign which has demonstrated the value and importance of the Co-op membership card.”

“I thought it was a fun way to learn about all the different types of projects that benefit from Co-op members simply buying Co-op products and swiping their membership cards.” 

Seven lucky Co-op Members won £100 for themselves and £50 for their chosen local cause by answering a question based on the content they’d read. And six members won £10 on their membership card for sharing a selfie photo with their favourite Co-op own brand product in our weekly prize draws.

We also donated money from the Co-op Partnerships Fund to Barnardo’s each time a Co-op Member joined in, with a staggering £130,000 raised for our charity partner.

You can read all of our members’ weekly stories here: https://co-operate.coop.co.uk/missions/local-gamechangers

There are always opportunities for Co-op Members to get involved in your Co-op. You can Join In by logging in to your online Membership account.