Applications are open for local good causes and charities in Lincolnshire and surrounding areas to receive funding, through Lincolnshire Co-op’s Community Champions scheme.
Around 200 causes will be selected by Lincolnshire Co-op members, and each one could receive between £500 and £1,000.
The retailer is searching for groups who support the physical, mental and social wellbeing of their local communities, including book clubs, sports teams and warm spaces, where local people can come together for a cup of tea.
Lincolnshire Co-op will support these groups between Sunday 6 September 2026 and Saturday 6 March 2027.
A donation will be made every time a member shops with their dividend card, customers donate spare change into collection pots in outlets, and colleagues get involved in fundraising.
Boston’s Men’s Shed is currently linked to Lincolnshire Co-op’s Skirbeck Road Food Store, Boston Funeral Home, Parkside Pharmacy and Liquorpond Pharmacy. The group encourages local men who are facing different challenges, like bereavement or adjusting to retirement, to work together on projects, including building benches and summer houses or crafting children’s toys and Christmas decorations.
Wragby Warhammers, the only baseball team in Lincolnshire, will receive donations from Lincolnshire Co-op’s Wragby Food Store.
The club started during Covid-19 with a small group of players social distancing and throwing a baseball around a field, which has developed into a team of over 20 players.
Following great success, the team played in the country’s second highest baseball league last season, playing against teams in Manchester, Liverpool, Hull and Newcastle.
Steve Buchanan, player and committee member at the Wragby Warhammers, said: “Baseball is an expensive sport and can determine if people come back each season, so funding helps us provide equipment for our players who see cost as a barrier.
“This not only benefits players’ fitness if they keep coming back every week but also benefits the club because we can continue to grow – funding from Community Champions will help with this so much.”
The Ruby Hunt Centre, a community hub in Donington, is supported by Lincolnshire Co-op’s food store and pharmacy in Donington and Gosberton Food Store.
The hub opened in 1982 as a pop-in portacabin but was transformed during its move to the current centre in 2006. Now, it hosts a scrabble club, bingo sessions, thrift shops, a Wednesday lunch club, and more.
John Elliot, acting chair at the Ruby Hunt Centre, said: “The application to be a Community Champion was very easy to follow and I would encourage any community group to become one.
“Thanks to the money we’re receiving, we’ll be able to continue to support the social wellbeing of people in Donington by providing them with a welcoming space to meet others.”
Groups can apply via a form available on the website: Community Champions Application, with applications closing on 12 April.
Lincolnshire’s community engagement manager Sam Turner said: “The community Champions scheme is an excellent opportunity for local groups to receive additional funding that can be used to support their local area.
“If you are part of a group that encourages your communities to get out of the house, then we can’t wait to hear from you.”
