Members help tackle the cost-of-living crisis

A massive thanks to you, our amazing Co-op Members, for helping to raise a whopping £2.5million to help almost 600 good causes across the UK provide valuable places for people to stay warm, connect with others and access food as part of our Warm Spaces funding boost.

In partnership with Crowdfunder, we launched our £1m Warm Spaces campaign last December to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and help our communities stay warm over the winter. See how Julianne, Co-op Member Pioneer, got on visiting a warm space when we launched the fund by watching her video.

Just by shopping with us and swiping or scanning your membership card, you helped make a difference. That’s because for every £1 you spend, 1p is donated to local causes and 1p goes to fund UK-wide projects, like the Warm Spaces initiative, through our Community Partnerships Fund.

Through the Community Partnerships Fundwe partner with like-minded organisations to create lasting change on the big issues our members care about – including providing fairer access to food, mental wellbeing support, and opportunities for young people. In our warm spaces campaign, your support ensured community organisations could maintain vital services in the face of rising energy costs, enabled community spaces to feel more welcoming, and allowed local groups to increase their opening times or extend their services at a time when extra support was needed.

As well as shopping with us, you also made a difference by spreading the word in your community, encouraging groups to apply and receive £500 in funding to kickstart their fundraising, and finding local groups to support on Crowdfunder to ensure they received up to £5,000 in match funding too.

For every £1 raised by Co-op Members, projects received a total of £2.47 thanks to the Crowdfunder boost, which included 14,573 individual supporters and 18 other funders, meaning we were able to generate a staggering c.£2.5m of funding support on your behalf from the £1m raised by you using your membership card.

Those who ran projects and benefited from the Warm Spaces funding boost were overwhelmed by the support from Co-op and its members.

But don’t just take our word for it; here are just some of the comments from project owners and a few of over 61,000 beneficiaries who have either used or benefitted from the services:

“It has allowed those who are isolated in our community to meet, chat, develop friendship and share food.”

Trinity Methodist Church

“It has allowed us to purchase further tools, equipment and supplies for our attendees, as well as allowing us to make sure the room is well heated especially on those very cold days.”

The Hobby Hub

“People engaged in the energy efficiency workshops, which has assisted them in reducing their energy bills, whilst reducing their anxieties around the energy crisis.”

ARK Soup and Social

“Doorway has made me feel safe and stable as I have a permanent home. Before I was always moving around. My mental health has improved, I am getting the help I need and feel listened to.”

Doorway Supporting Homeless Young People

“The house was cold today. We were able to come here so we don’t need to put the heating on until later. This has really helped me to get out of the house and meet new people.”

Warm Welcome Bardney

“One of our foodbank users came to us exhausted and hungry and were able to find relief and comfort with a warm welcome, drink, and snack, and regain some energy to collect their food parcel. They were tearful and overwhelmed with gratitude.”

Chesterfield Foodbank Emergency

“One attendee said they felt really welcome and like part of the team. They have also brought other isolated members of the community to the Warm Space for a cuppa and to chat with volunteers.”

South Brent Warm Space

“People have been very positive about our project, and this has helped to raise our profile as a local charity.”

Warm Space Community Hub at Glasgow North West CAB

More than 100 local causes that are supported through the Local Community Fund also benefitted from the Warm Spaces funding boost. Applications are now open for the next round of Local Community Fund, so, if you know a local cause in your community that helps bring people together to access food, improve mental wellbeing, provide opportunities for young people, restore nature or tackle climate change, encourage them to apply today at coop.co.uk/causes. Applications close on 11 June.