Midcounties Raises £40K for Local Food Banks With Latest Initiative

The Midcounties Co-operative has raised £40,000 to help support local food bank partners throughout the opening months of 2022, when demand for food bank services typically peaks.

The funds were raised at the end of last year as Midcounties relaunched its Food Bank Fund, with members, customers and colleagues being encouraged to make monetary donations via till points, as well as drop essential items into each store’s food bank collection boxes.

The fund was also boosted through Midcounties’ work with its anti-food waste partner, Too Good To Go, to donate £1 from each ‘magic bag’ of discounted food sold to the fund.

The £40,000 raised across the 228 Your Co-op Food stores is being distributed equally to each of its 70 food bank partners.

The Food Bank Fund was just one of the ways in which the Society helped those in need over the festive period. Midcounties also partnered with the Shropshire, Dudley and Walsall Councils to help support families facing food poverty, providing healthy recipes and ingredients for 15,000 meals in time which were delivered directly to families by a team of 14 just in time for the Christmas school holidays.

Phil Ponsonby, CEO at The Midcounties Co-operative, said: “We know that these are challenging times for many families, and as a co-operative business we’re committed to supporting our local communities.

A massive thank you to all of our members, customers and colleagues who made a donation to our Food Bank Fund this Christmas. We’re so pleased to have been able to raise such a significant amount for our food bank partners and hope it goes a small way in supporting the vital services that they provide, especially as they face increased pressure and demand at this time of year.”

The Society’s Food Bank Fund was initially launched at the start of the pandemic to help ensure that all those in need could continue to access essential supplies. In total the fund has now raised over £90,000 for its food bank partners across Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Buckinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.

The Midcounties Co-operative has now also opened applications for its Community Fund, offering local charities and community groups the chance to apply for grants of up to £2,000. All organisations or groups who provide vital services or initiatives within their local communities can apply, from food banks, animal welfare and environmental groups, to youth development and engagement projects. For more information or to apply, please visit the Society’s website. Applications close Friday 4^th February 2022.

The Midcounties Co-operative is one of the leading co-operatives in the UK. For more information about how to become a member please visit the website or ask in your local Your Co-op Food store.