East of England Co-op Community Cares Fund re-opens to offer vital financial support to community groups
• Application window opens for the East of England Co-op Community Cares Fund
• Funding criteria broadened so even more community projects can receive support
• More than 95,000 people have so far benefited from the fund
The East of England Co-op is encouraging applications for its £220,000 pot of community funding. From today, Suffolk-based voluntary or community groups, social enterprise organisations (VCSE) or charities can apply for funding. Since it was established in April 2020, the Community Cares Fund has donated grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 to 163 projects, directly benefitting more than 95,000 people. This year, the fund is expanding into Cambridgeshire following the opening of the first East of England Co-op food store in the county.
The fund now covers Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. CEO of East of England Co-op, Doug Field OBE said: “As a community retailer and a co-operative, supporting others is at the heart of what we do. We’re proud to have over 150 years of history giving back to local communities through our outreach programmes, fundraising and community support initiatives.
"Since 2020, our Community Cares Fund has been integral to this, and has enabled us to help brilliant people who work within communities to support others. What a wonderful achievement to have directly impacted more than 95,000 people as a result.” Angela Carpenter, Community Support Manager at the East of England Co-op, commented: “We’re really passionate about supporting our local communities, and we always want to do more.
This year’s fund will help local good causes to do even more to help those who need it most “This year, we have changed the focus of the funding, and set clear outcomes for projects to work towards. We hope this will make the fund even more accessible for a wide and diverse range of community projects, with the shared goal of improving the lives of people in our local area.”
Suffolk-based projects recently supported by the East of England Co-op Community Cares Fund include a grant of £5,000 for Action for Children towards the Amaryliss housing project. This gives young people the chance to take part in a woodland activity programme, which focusses on building self-esteem and resilience. The East of England Co-op works with the Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire Community Foundations to distribute and deliver the Community Cares Fund.
For more information on the scheme and how to apply for funding, visit: https://www.eastofengland.coop/community-cares-fund