Co-op stores in Warwickshire help to raise nearly £50,000 for NHS charities

The Midcounties Co-operative, which includes shops in Warwickshire, joined forces with other independent co-operatives from across the UK last month, to help raise almost £50,000 for NHS Charities Together.

NHS Charities Together is a group of more than 250 organisations that supports the NHS, its staff, volunteers and patients. Its work includes everything from supporting front line workers’ mental health and well-being needs, to caring for patients who have recently been discharged from hospital.

The co-operatives came together to raise funds for the charities in different ways, with The Midcounties Co-operative donating £1 from every sale of its special festive bouquets.

The Society contributed £11,332 to the total £48,113 raised, with the remaining funds donated by Southern Co-op, Scotmid, Heart of England, Central England and East of England.

Pete Westall, chief values officer at The Midcounties Co-operative, said: “The pandemic has been a testing time for all of us, but particularly for those in the NHS, whose efforts have been little short of heroic.

“We wanted to recognise their hard work and show our appreciation and I’m grateful to all our members and customers who helped us raise these funds.

“This is just part of our efforts throughout the pandemic and, as lockdown continues, we’ll keep on supporting our communities and the most vulnerable within them.

“Working with local volunteers, we’ve made more than 100,000 free food deliveries to people who are self-isolating and we are also collecting contributions for local food banks, both in-store and online, and I’d encourage people to keep giving if they can.”

Throughout the coronavirus crisis, The Midcounties Co-operative has also founded a £75,000 Community Restart Fund for groups and charities that need emergency financial support, raised more than £50k for local food banks, provided over £40k worth of childcare support to NHS key workers and donated £5,000 worth of smartphones to help vulnerable people access support.