Felicity shares this latest news on behalf Southern Co-op. Ed
Local causes are set to benefit from a week of fundraising by retail and funeral colleagues across the Isle of Wight.
Southern Co-op challenged its colleagues to raise as much money as possible for their local charity partners and they smashed it by raising more than £3,300.
£30,000 raised across South East
The amount raised on the Isle of Wight was added together with all of the Southern Co-op’s retail stores and funeral homes in the south of England to make a final total of £30,000.
The annual Charity Awareness Week ran from 23 to 29 July and the retail store which raised the most money was given an extra £10,000 for its charity. The winners were Southern Co-op’s store in Bramber House, Sussex Uni, in Brighton who were raising money for Albion in the Community.
Isle of Wight funeralcare raised most money
There was also an additional prize of £10,000 for the funeral area that raised the most money collectively throughout July, and this was the Isle of Wight.
Activities ranged from big to small with fundraising ideas including crazy hair days, gruelling static cycle rides, book sales, abseils, raffles, cakes, quiz nights, pyjama days, face painting, walking challenges, summer fetes and even the chance to sit on a pink Harley Davidson.
Staff are passionate about the cause
Jessica Hughes, Community Investment Manager at Southern Co-op, said:
“Each of our stores and funeral homes has their own charity which is close to our colleagues hearts. So when they hold fundraising activities, they are passionate about the cause.
“We have been blown away by this year’s activities and it is really special to know this money raised will make a tremendous impact on our local communities – be it a hospital, the environment or a school project.
“We would like to say a massive thank you to all of our customers and communities who got behind the fundraisers. With their help we will make a difference.”
‘Love Your Neighbourhood’ scheme
The local causes have been chosen by colleagues and members at each branch as part of Southern Co-op’s community engagement programme ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’.
‘Love Your Neighbourhood’ addresses four key social themes for promoting: ‘Greener’, ‘Healthier’, ‘Safer’, and ‘More Inclusive’ neighbourhoods.
Local causes
Local causes to benefit on the Isle of Wight included Challenge and Adventure, The Phoenix Project, St Mary’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Bembridge Harbour Trust, Isle of Wight Sands, Isle of Wight Youth Trust, West Wight Youth FC, 1st Ryde & 1st Binstead Scout Group, Wessex Cancer Trust, and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.
Who took part
The Southern Co-op funeral homes that took part included Lake, Newport, Ryde and East Cowes.
The Southern Co-op retail stores that took part included Bembridge’s Sherbourne Street, Carisbrooke’s High Street, Cowes’s Mill Hill Road, Freshwater’s Afton Road and Avenue Road, Rookley’s Main Road, Ryde’s West Street, Sandown’s Avenue Road and Shanklin’s Regent Street.
To find out more about Southern Co-op’s commitment to making a difference, visit the Website.
