Co-op shoppers support Honeycomb Group's young person's homelessness service

Shoppers can support our young person’s service every time they visit a Co-op store for the next year, thanks to the retailer's 'local causes' scheme.

The scheme, which has raised over £117 million for good causes since 2016, gives Co-op members the chance to give back every time they shop. Each time members buy selected Co-op branded products, 2p for every pound goes back to them as a reward and 2p goes to a local cause.

Shoppers simply have to sign up as a Co-op member for £1, select their preferred cause and start shopping.

Our young person's service, run by our homelessness specialist Concrete, has been selected as a 'local cause' by the Hartshill and Penkhull Co-op Food stores until October 2024. This means that for the next year, shoppers can select the service as their preferred cause and donate to it directly, just by doing their everyday shopping.

Concrete's young person's service currently supports over 30 young people who have been impacted by a range of complex needs and experiences. This includes leaving the care system, facing homelessness and experiencing family breakdowns.

Staff at the Stoke-on-Trent service offer solutions-focused support, keeping young people at the centre of their own journeys. They’re guided to take care of their health and wellbeing, learn household skills such as cooking and cleaning, attend appointments, realise their passions, maximise their income, reduce debts and look for training and education opportunities.

Young Person's Operations Manager Anna Mather

Young Person’s Operations Manager Anna Mather said that being part of the project will have a ‘huge impact’ on the service. She said: “We’re so excited to be one of Co-op’s local causes over the next year.

“By selecting us as their local cause, Co-op members can support our food club. This is one of our latest projects that encourages young people to cook healthy meals, receive education around healthy eating and engage with each other in a group setting. By cooking and eating together, they can build social relationships and learn how to interact in a really positive way.

“This kind of support is absolutely incredible and we just know that it will have a huge impact on the young people that we support. They have been through so much, so we want to make sure that they feel safe and secure with us. This means providing them with as much as we can to get them ready for their next chapter.”

You can support Concrete by selecting them as your ‘local cause’ via the Co-op website here.