Rebecca Wickstead (Manager, Deyes Lane Co-op) is absolutely delighted to announce that the Roy Evans Foundation, the 3rd Sefton Scout group and the Friends of Maghull & District have been selected as Coop Good Cause for the year October 2021 to 2022.

Rebecca explained that: “In 2021 the Co-op supported 25,000 local causes, thanks to their members, with each of our local causes receiving between £1000/£2000. People can join Co-op for £1 (online at coop.co.uk/membership and or instore) choose a local cause to support in the community. Then when members buy selected Co-op products and services, 2p for every £1 spent goes back to the shopper. The company will give the same amount to support your three brilliant community organisations/local causes”.

Martin Climpson (3rd Sefton East Altside Scout Group) said: “We aim to ensure the future running of our long-established Scout Group and help to provide future generations with new skills and experiences. We help the community by ensuring that local young people have activities which provide them with new skills and help them grow as individuals. We also teach the young people different things to help improve their ever-growing knowledge of the world”. https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/61414

Sheryl (Roy Evans Foundation) said: “We have some brilliant projects, from working with young people on the verge of exclusion, working within care homes to create memories, to taking disadvantaged people to Spain, building confidence and creating opportunities. Our website is https://royevansfoundation.co.uk/ For this project, we will work with groups of young people aged 5–16, delivering a nutrition course that includes learning about what creates healthy bodies, both physically and mentally. We’re a group who wants to work with young, disadvantaged people, encouraging, educating and supporting them. We bring communities back together”. https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/60021

Dr Frank Sharp (Friends of Maghull and District) said: “We have received amazing ongoing community support to reinvigorate a historic woodland entrance to Maghull (Bobby’s Wood), with a welcoming, accessible, safe, iconic and engaging community wildlife friendly space. We aim to raise support for mentored community eco-educational woodland border planting for trees, shrubs, bulbs and wildflowers, that will improve skills and wellness”. https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/64244

NB On a personal note, I would like to add that all three charities will really enrich our local community. The Scout group has recently had to move from its historical home at the recently closed Methodist Church and has now set up at St George’s United Reform Church on Northway opposite the Iceland store. They are very friendly people who offer fantastic opportunities for our children & community and are incredibly deserving of our support during the transition and beyond.

The Roy Evans Foundation is a fantastic opportunity for all children in our community, particularly those on the verge of exclusion, offering boundless opportunities and enthusiasm, and most importantly they want to undertake this work here, recognising that our community needs support in the same fashion as other areas that are well known for their challenges.

The Friends of Maghull District are a reasonably new small group that has been punching above its weight over the last four years with multiple environmental and social projects throughout Maghull. Identifying, resourcing, and organising the community to produce project outcomes for the benefit of all, with the latest being the final third year at Bobby’s Wood, prior to our next project.

Whilst the Coop manager and staff are amongst the most friendly and charitable I have had the pleasure to meet. Who often unrecognised not only support the charity’s above, but support food banks, organise ad hoc charity events, and give their time to organised charitable events, whilst serving us in the midst of a pandemic.

Pictured (21.1.22): Dr Frank Sharp (Friends of Maghull and District), Becky Wickstead, Sam (Co-op Manager & Colleague), Sheryl Dooley & Alison Woods (Roy Evans Foundation), Martin & Elliott Bellmon (3rdSefton East Scout Group).