Meet your new regional fundraising partners!
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Published 4 Jul 2023 in Communities
Great news! We’re glad to announce that our Regional Communities will continue from July 2023 with 12 new focused Fundraising partners. With communities at the heart of everything we do at Midcounties, we want to thank our remarkable colleagues for their ongoing support in continuing to make an impact in their local communities. Read on to discover more.
Did you know since 2018 we have raised over £380k for our partners?
That’s right we’ve raised over £380k for local fundraising partners across our Regional Communities. With those partnerships now coming to an end, we’re excited to announce the new fundraising partners for 2023/24 that all members (including colleague members), voted for.
You can find out more about our new fundraising partners (which will be in place until May 2024) and the amazing work they do by clicking below.
Central Oxford - Oxford Food Hub
Having raised £14,000 between 2019 and 2022 for their former partner, Aspire, Central Oxford members have voted for Oxford Food Hub to be their new fundraising partner. Oxford Food Hub’s dedicated group of volunteers collects surplus food from wholesalers and supermarkets and distributes it to over 200 charities and community organisations to prevent food waste and help alleviate food poverty. Find out more here.
Cheltenham & Gloucester - Cheltenham Open Door
Having raised over £35,000 between 2019 and 2022 for their former partner, Aston Project, members have voted for Cheltenham Open Door to be their new fundraising partner. Cheltenham Open Door supports vulnerable, disadvantaged and lonely people with a range of services that help to relieve poverty, hardship and social or emotional distress. Find out more here.
Cotswolds - Cotswold Friends and Lawrence Home Nursing Team!
Having raised over £7,000 between 2019 and 2022 for their former partner, Cotswolds Community Awareness, members have voted for Cotswold Friends and Lawrence Home Nursing Team to be your new fundraising partners.
Cotswold Friends is a charity that helps and supports older and vulnerable people to combat loneliness and isolation, improve health and wellbeing and encourage independent living in the Cotswold area.
The Lawrence Home Nursing Team provides people with end-of-life nursing care in their own home in Chipping Norton and surrounding areas.
Find out more here.
Forest of Dean – Gloucester Deaf Association!
Having raised over £40,000 between 2018 and 2022 for our former partner, Gloucestershire Young Carers, members have voted for Gloucester Deaf Association (GDA) to be their new fundraising partner. GDA is a charity providing vital practical and emotional support to children, young people and adults living in Gloucestershire who are deaf, have been deafened or are hard of hearing.
Find out more here.
Kidlington & NW Oxford – Kidlington Community Hub!
Having raised over £8,000 between 2019 and 2022 for our former partner, Daybreak Oxford, members have voted for the Kidlington Community Hub to be their new fundraising partner. The Kidlington Community Hub is a charity that runs a variety of drop-ins and support groups for parents, carers, and their children.
Find out more here.
Leamington & Warwick – Young People First!
Having raised over £9,000 between 2018 and 2022 for our former partner, Guys Gift, members have voted for Young People First to be their new fundraising partner. Young People First provides support to some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in Warwickshire.
Find out more here.
Shropshire – The Shrewsbury Ark!
Having raised over £19,000 between 2019 and 2022 for our former partner, Shropshire Telford & Wrekin Dementia Support, members have voted for The Shrewsbury Ark to be their new fundraising partner. The Shrewsbury Ark provides ongoing support and day centre facilities for the homeless and vulnerable in the community.
Find out more here.
Stroud – Stroud Valleys Project!
Having raised over £17,000 between 2019 and 2022 for our former partner, CCP (caring for people and communities), members have voted for Stroud Valleys Project to be their new fundraising partner.
Originally founded to help protect the industrial heritage of Stroud and its five valleys, Stroud Valleys Project works with local community groups and volunteers, helping, inspiring, and training them to discover and nurture the wildlife and green spaces on their doorsteps.
Find out more here.
Swindon – STEP Swindon!
Having raised over £18,000 between 2019 and 2022 for our former partner, SMASH Youth Project, members have voted for STEP Swindon to be their new fundraising partner. STEP is a charity providing a safe and supportive environment for children and young people aged 7-18 who are experiencing isolation and exclusion in Swindon and the surrounding area.
Find out more here.
Walsall – Black Country Women's Aid!
Having raised over £14,000 between 2020 and 2022 for our former partner, Walsall Young Carers, members have voted for Black Country Women's Aid to be their new fundraising partner. The charity offers a range of services in Walsall supporting people who are or who have been the victims of abuse. The group offers sensitive and holistic support that helps victims of abuse and their children to escape from violence, cope with trauma and rebuild their lives.
Find out more here.
Wolverhampton – Zebra Access!
Having raised over £17,000 between 2018 and 2022 for our former partner, Alz Café, members have voted for Zebra Access to be their new fundraising partner. Zebra Access is a deaf-led charity that aims to create better opportunities for deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people by providing access to a range of confidence-building activities.
Find out more here.
Wyre Forest – Wyre Forest Nightstop!
Having raised over £30,000 between 2018 and 2022 for our former partner, Home Start Wyre Forest, members have voted for Wyre Forest Nightstop to be their new fundraising partner. Wyre Forest & South Worcestershire Nightstop and Mediation Service is part of a network of 33 accredited Nightstop provisions throughout the UK. The team provides safe, emergency, temporary accommodation for young people between the ages of 16 and 25.
Find out more here.
Regional Community Sites – what does this mean for us?
In order to ensure the active involvement of all our colleagues at each location, every Regional Community will be equipped with the following:
- A Local plan meeting local needs and member expectations
- Dedicated Leadership Ambassador support
- The Steering Group (made up of colleagues, active members and community partners) meeting on a regular basis to discuss, plan and deliver the local strategy
- Member involvement: Members are included in local decisions, fundraising, grants, activities, volunteering and support
- Local Secondary and Primary School partnerships
- Minimum of 1 Foodbank partnership
- Charity and community partners Legacy Partner Programme (these are our outgoing fundraising partners and other historical partnerships we have formed that we will continue to work with on a mutually co-operative basis)
Don’t worry – there are some things that we won’t be changing, as we know just how important they are to you –
- The continuation of fundraising for your local fundraising partners (above)
- Ongoing work with, and maximising the relationship you have with your local foodbank partners – by encouraging in-store food donations, promoting our foodbank December fundraising campaign and helping to raise awareness of the work of your partner foodbank in the community
- Annual fundraising campaigns that the Society supports such as the Poppy Appeal, Children in Need, Red Nose Day will all still be part of your calendar
- Volunteering – up to 22.5 hours per year (pro-rata) for every colleague to support their local community by giving their time
- Continuing with our community grant funding opportunities, via the online application platform
The Community team are always on hand to help with any related queries – so drop them an email at yourcoop.community@midcounties.coop
For further information click here.