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£60,000 Available for Community Groups in Dorset

Posted by Nick on February 7, 2012
Weymouth Art Project

Youth, Art, Homelessness

The Co-operative has announced it has £60,000 up for grabs for community groups and charities in the Dorset area thanks to the generosity of its customers over the last year.

The Co-operative’s Community Fund is raised by member customers opting to donate all or part of their annual dividend to good causes. The latest calculations reveal that £60,000 of the total £420,000 raised across the South West region is available for distribution in the Dorset area during the first half of the year.

Last year 62 groups in the area benefited from cash from the Community Fund, including the You Trust Art Group, which received £500 towards an exhibition showing the impact of homelessness at Weymouth Library, which will run from 1pm on 13 February until 18 February during library opening hours.

Jacqueline Redfern, from You Trust Art Group, said: “The Community Fund grant has made such a difference to us and I’m sure the exhibition will do a great job of raising awareness of homelessness in the area.

“The donation is made even more special by knowing that even in tough economic times, ordinary people have decided to give away their dividend to groups to make a difference in their local communities.”

Paul Kimber, Chair of The Co-operative’s Wiltshire and Dorset Area Committee said: “We are proud of our Community Fund scheme as it embodies our Co-operative difference in that it is our members, who own a share in the business, who by trading with us, can make a real difference on their own doorstep.

“The local area committee allocates grants from £200 to £2,000 every two months and we would welcome applications from any group in the Dorset area that would benefit from a boost over the next six months.”

Further funds will be available during the second half of the year when a further calculation of funds raised via dividend donations is carried out. 

Community Fund application forms are available online at www.co-operative.coop/communityfund or by phoning 0844 262 4001. Awards are allocated by local Co-operative members’ committees, based on a set of values and principles such as social responsibility and caring for others.