East of England Co-op has announced the latest round of grants through its Community Cares Fund, with more than £115,000 going to initiatives supporting community cohesion and integration.
Since 2020, the society has donated over £1m through its community programmes and the Community Cares Fund alone has helped over 146,000 local people. This year it is supporting 32 projects across East Anglia.
One of these projects comes from Hope After Suicide Loss (Hope), a charity providing comprehensive and holistic support for those who have been bereaved by suicide in Suffolk and Norfolk, which has received a grant of over £3,000.
Ruby Farrell, charity coordinator at Hope, said: “We are committed to helping people navigate the difficult journey of grief after losing a loved one to suicide (known as ‘survivors’).
“This funding will directly fund around four months of listening support calls and professional counselling for survivors living in Suffolk.
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“This will enable a huge amount of invaluable support which will make a true difference to the lives of our survivors, enabling them to find strength in their journey of grief, to be provided with a safe space for processing and emotional healing, and to connect to a community which truly understands what they are going through.”
Other projects supported by this round of grants include:
- Cam Sight in Cambridgeshire who will use their grant of £2,200 to provide weekly Pilates sessions for blind or partially sighted individuals, enhancing physical and mental health and social inclusion
- Heathlands PTA at Heathlands CofE Primary School in Essex, who have received a grant of £5,000 to help fund an innovation centre – a dedicated space designed to foster creativity, problem-solving and hands-on learning experiences.
- and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation who have received £5,000 for their weekly session supporting those living with dementia.
Angela Carpenter, community support lead, said: “We’re incredibly proud to support these vital projects because they help people feel more connected, less alone, and better equipped for life. Whether it’s by creating access to social activities, offering support into education or work, improving wellbeing, or providing people with advice and support, each project plays a part in building a fairer, more supportive community and demonstrates our commitment to strengthening community cohesion and integration and making a positive local impact.”
“It’s heartening to see how our Community Cares Fund continues to make a difference in our region, helping local charities deliver important support to the communities we serve.”
The new round of Community Cares Fund grants is part of the East of England’s wider community support programmes. This includes in-branch hosting, small donations, and the Local Giving project. Combined, these initiatives have seen the retailer support over 700 unique charities across East Anglia last year.
