Central Co-op unveils new charity partnership with Samaritans
The charity, which was voted for by Central Co-op’s members and colleagues, will benefit from the group’s fundraising and awareness from October this year
Central Co-op has confirmed that Samaritans has been picked as its new charity partner yesterday (24 July), Samaritans Awareness Day.
The charity, which was voted for by Central Co-op’s members and colleagues, will benefit from the group’s fundraising and awareness from October this year.
Earlier this year in March, Central Co-op began searching for a new charity partner.
National and regional registered charities were invited to participate in a “transparent and democratic” process to nominate themselves for this opportunity.
Guided by the voices of its members, Central Co-op focused its search on organisations dedicated to mental health support.
After an extensive search involving hundreds of applicants and almost 17,000 member votes, Samaritans was chosen.
Samaritans volunteers provide a safe and non-judgemental space for individuals to discuss whatever challenges they are facing. Every 10 seconds, a Samaritans volunteer answers a call for help.
Last year alone, the charity spent over 900,000 hours responding to calls. With over 200 branches and locations across the UK and Ireland, Samaritans relies on the public’s donations and the support of around 23,000 volunteers to continue their vital services.
Hannah Gallimore, social change manager at Central Co-op, said: “We are incredibly excited to announce Samaritans as our new charity partner. Our Members made it clear that mental health support is a priority, and we listened.
“We recognise the critical importance of Samaritans’ life-saving support, particularly in today’s challenging times. With branches right across the UK, we’re keen on supporting Samaritans on both a national and local level within the communities we serve. We can’t wait to get started!”
Sonya Trivedy, executive director of external engagement at Samaritans, added: “We are thrilled to be chosen by Central Co-op members as their charity partner. It is thanks to partnerships like these that Samaritans can continue to be there for anyone struggling to cope, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“It’s the perfect way to mark Samaritans Awareness Day today and we look forward to achieving great things together.”
