Good causes in Portsmouth area get share of £57,000 from Co-op

Groups from across the Portsmouth area were given the cash by the Co-op.

Scouts, learning centres, schools and community groups were among the 25 lucky recipients who got £57,309 in total.

The Rainbow Centre, in Fareham, got £4,405.

The money will be used for its conductive education, which helps children and adults using the centre reach milestones.

The centre helps youngsters with cerebral palsy and adults who have suffered a stroke or head injury or have Parkinson’s disease.

Jess Greenwood, from the fundraising team, said: ‘Funding is really important to us because we don’t get support from the government.

‘We rely on donations from our supporters and businesses. To us, £4,000 is a lot of money.’

The Roberts Centre, in Landport, Portsmouth, also received money. Representatives went to collect a cheque for £5,917 yesterday.

The cash will help support its Tastes Great cookery classes, Make Music classes and Incredible Years parenting classes as well as other schemes.

A spokeswoman said: ‘We want to say a massive thanks to Co-op for an amazing £5,917.’

Other groups who got cash included bereavement charity Simon Says who got £2,450, domestic abuse support service Aurora New Dawn who received £2,482 and Hamble Sea Scout Group, which got £2,254.

Harbour Cancer Support Centre was given £2,251 while the Elizabeth Foundation, which helps children with hearing problems, got £4,253.

The money was as a result of the Co-op’s membership scheme launched last September. When a Co-op member buys own-brand products from food stores, they earn a five per cent reward for themselves with a further one per cent going to local good causes.

Co-op chief membership officer Rufus Olins said: ‘By listening to our members we are able to identify what communities care most about and then offer support.’