Every year, the Co-op Local Community Fund supports a range of local projects across the UK. Whenever a registered Co-op member buys a selected Co-op branded product, 2p for every pound spent goes to them and the same amount goes to the local cause that they have chosen to support through their membership account.

This year, we are pleased to announce that some of the projects being supported are from Victim Support’s Bedfordshire, Cardiff, Kent, Sussex and Wiltshire services. Here is a bit more information about some of our services being supported:

Bedfordshire

VS in Bedfordshire has already benefitted from the Community Fund a few years ago and the funds received helped us support domestic abuse victims across Luton and Bedfordshire. Most of the victims were at high risk of serious harm at the time and this funding helped us support them when they needed it the most.

Our Bedfordshire team has now expanded and we are providing more services to even more victims. This means that we are aiming to do even more with this year’s funding. Not only will we be able to provide emotional and practical support, but we will also ensure that ‘round the clock’ support is available for anyone affected by domestic abuse through our national 24/7 Supportline.

Sussex

VS in Sussex provides victims and witnesses with the specialist practical and emotional support that they need to re-gain control, find their confidence and move beyond the crime that they experienced. Last year, we were able to offer support to thousands of victims across Sussex.

With the help of the Community Fund, we will continue to support victims of crime as the funds raised will go towards our projects that provide practical security advice and materials to improve the quality of life of our victims in Sussex.

Cardiff

South Wales Victim Focus, delivered by Victim Support, provides support and advice to anyone affected by crime. We are pleased to have been chosen to benefit from the Community Fund, and will use the funds to help us support more people.

This year, we are aiming to pay for counselling for people who have been affected by crime. Many people cannot afford to access this privately, and long waiting lists elsewhere can delay vulnerable victims and witnesses from getting the specialist support they need. Being able to receive free and prompt counselling is a key part of recovery from crime and we hope to be able to offer this to as many people as possible.

To learn more about our work and support our local teams, please visit Victim Support Bedfordshire, Cardiff, Kent, Sussex and Wiltshire’s Co-Op pages. If you are not a Co-op member yet, you can join in-store or online for just £1, and help us help our local communities.