Midcounties Co-op says its colleagues have contributed more than 560,000 hours of volunteering over the past two decades – the equivalent of 63 years.
This society announced the figure as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, and says efforts include helping at food banks and supporting local schools, youth groups and charities.
Over the same period, membership has grown from 189,000 to more than 758,000, and member trade participation has doubled to 44%. With over 410 sites, colleagues have been instrumental in powering that growth while also helping to deliver long-lasting social value.
Alongside volunteering, the society has donated more than £5.4m to community causes, with members helping to decide where support is needed most within their local community. In the past year, the Doing Good Together Fund has channelled over £200,000 to more than 680 groups – from schools and theatre groups to food banks and mental health charities – bringing the total number of causes supported to more than 4,700.
Further long-term initiatives include Fairer Futures, launched in 2023 to support young people facing complex barriers to employment within Walsall, support for Bright Future Co-op, which provides survivors of modern slavery with paid placements and supportive routes into long-term employment, and participation with other co-ops in the launch of the Fund for International Co-operative Development.
Related: Central Co-op and Midcounties in discussions around landmark merger
“As we celebrate 20 years, nothing captures the spirit of our society better than our colleagues reaching the incredible milestone of giving 63 years’ worth of volunteering hours to local good causes,” said CEO Phil Ponsonby. “Alongside that, the generosity of our members, the millions donated to community projects, and the impact of the Doing Good Together Fund all show what’s possible when people come together with a shared purpose.”
Ponsonby, who has just been appointed chair of the Association of Convenience Stores, added:“Our members are at the heart of everything we do. These achievements demonstrate the impact that our members and colleagues have achieved in supporting their communities, championing sustainability and working towards a fairer future for all.”
To mark the anniversary, Midcounties has listed 20 landmark achievements over the 20 years.
- Trebling turnover from £421m to £1.5bn
- opening 144 new food stores, 38 travel branches and 39 nurseries
- Growing membership from 189,000 to 758,000
- Colleagues have contributed over 560,000 hours of volunteering to good causes
- Nearly 700 apprentices have been supported since 2017
- More than £5.4m has been donated to community causes
- Over £42m has been given back directly to members through profit share and exclusive discounts
- 13,000 members have stood up for change, helping to shape new laws to protect shopworkers from retail crime
- Cutting 80,000 tonnes of CO₂ – enough to power 29,000 homes for a year.
- Backing Fairtrade for more than three decades, helping co-ops become the world’s leading seller of Fairtrade wine
- Recognition for the society’s sustainability leadership at the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development and the Grocer Gold Sustainability Initiative of the Year
- Helping to create 31 new co-ops
- Launching Co-op Energy – the UK’s only member-owned energy supplier
- Through Younity, its joint venture with Octopus Energy, it now powers 65,000 homes and supports over a third of the UK’s community energy groups
- More than 65 young people have been supported through Fairer Futures
- Helping to found Bright Future, which has so far helped over 100 survivors of modern slavery rebuild their lives through meaningful work
- Being among the first to secure the Fair Tax Mark, leading on transparency and responsible tax
- Co-founding the Fund for International Co-operative Development
- Supporting 4,739 good causes through the Doing Good Together Fund, with over £200,000 given to over 680 groups in the last year alone.
- Receiving major honours, from the Energy Awards 2024 Project of the Year to the People in Retail Awards for Fairer Futures, and the Community Energy England Sector Support Award
