When you win, your community wins too

Stockport community group, Autisk, are receiving a £5,000 funding boost thanks to a local Co-op Member. The group, who support young people with autism, anxiety and learning difficulties will use the extra money to create two new groups for the next 12 months.

Co-op is owned by you; our members, which means you get a say in how we spend a share of our profits in local communities.

Through the Local Community Fund, Co-op members can influence how and where we share our money by choosing a cause either online or through the Co-op app. Since 2016, Co-op Members have supported 38,500 projects with £108m. 

Designed to help boost our existing support to thousands of causes across the UK, members have the chance to win £500 for themselves and £5,000 for their chosen local cause in our ‘Winners Share It All’ monthly prize draw.

Autisk, the volunteer-led group, provide face-to-face and online support, advice and signposting. The project prevents social isolation and improve mental and physical wellbeing.

Janet Bennett, CEO of Autisk, says she was surprised to hear the group had won £5,000 when a Co-op colleague called her, that she had to ask for the exciting news to be repeated.

I was just so overwhelmed and appreciative that someone thought so much of us as an organisation to choose us as their cause,” she says.

“This extra cash boost means we can continue to provide young people and their parents with a safe place to go.”

The extra money will set up and run a new girls social and support group for 12 months.

Our aim is to empower young women to become more self-confident, less anxious, improve self-esteem, and create a social circle of friends and support around them.”

Janet is proud of what Autisk has achieved and the positive impact the group has on those who attend the sessions.

Everyone is welcome, and no judgement is made. We pride ourselves on the amount of positive feedback we receive about our sessions. Seeing children make friends with others similar to them, while putting a smile on their faces makes me so happy and proud.”

To know that Autisk have the support of Co-op Members makes Janet even more determined and empowered to keep up the great work involved in running the group.

“It’s incredible that Co-op members are supporting smaller organisations like us and choosing us as their local cause, especially when we hit hard times. 

For your chance to win £500 for yourself and £5,000 for your chosen Local Community Fund cause, choose your cause on our website or by downloading the Co-op app then head to your local Co-op (or shop online) and spend £5* to be entered into our monthly ‘Winners Share It All’ prize draw.