Strathspey and Badenoch causes urged to go for Co-op funds as deadline nears
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Co-op bosses have warned there is less than a week left to apply for the Local Community Fund – it closes at midnight on Sunday.
The fund has raised over £160,500 for local causes in the strath since 2016 and a new survey has revealed that 53 per cent of local community causes have seen available funding decrease in past 12 months, with three quarters expecting demand for their services to increase
"The challenges of the pandemic are far from over for grassroot local community groups," said Rebecca Birkbeck, the company's director of community and shared value.
"The survey found more than three quarters of community causes expected demand for their services to increase over the next six months, including a huge 94 per cent of groups working to support mental wellbeing, 96 per cent of groups supporting young people and 83 per cent of those tackling food poverty."
Over 3,000 local causes from across the UK shared how the pandemic has affected their groups and communities, making the survey one of the largest of its kind, and highlighting that support for local community groups is needed now more than ever before.
To address this and help create fairer communities, Co-op is inviting the strath's grassroots projects to apply now for fund backing.
Applications have been extended and now close at midnight on Sunday. Local groups can find out more at coop.co.uk/causes.
The Local Community Fund has supported 57 local causes in Strathspey and Badenoch, raising £160,500 since it began in 2016.
Co-op’s current Local Community Fund causes are already playing a key role in helping communities rebuild, with 95 per cent of causes stating that their project was helping their community’s response to the pandemic.
“Our Co-op vision is ‘co-operating for a fairer world’ and it’s heartening to see this come to life in these grass roots projects," said the director.
"Our Local Community Fund and support from our members has been a lifeline throughout the pandemic, and we want even more local groups to take advantage of this opportunity.
“Findings from the survey, our own Community Wellbeing Index, members and colleagues has shown us that we can all come together to make the world a fairer place. Even with the easing of lockdown, the communities across the UK will still need our help.
“Members are encouraged to select a cause each round, allowing them to support grassroots causes in Strathspey and Badenoch that they really care about.
“This year, when a group applies for the Local Community Fund, we will also connect them to Co-operate (coop.co.uk/co-operate), our online community centre, where they can come together and benefit from help and support from like-minded people and causes. This is an exciting development which shows the power of co-operation beyond funding.”
