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Co-op Ellon celebrates Local Community Fund big payout


By David Porter

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Co-op Ellon colleagues and Co-op members have celebrated the Local Community Fund Big Payout.

Three local causes, Ellon Civic Pride, Friends of Ellon Cemetery and Ellon Academy Memorial Community Gardens were presented with cheques by Dean Knox Esslemont Circle foodstore manager and Paula Coatesworth of G Burgess Funeralcare.

A total of £3234 was given to allow each local cause to go ahead with projects that will make a difference in the town.

Ellon Civic Pride have already planted 1000’s of crocus bulbs, with plans to plant many more.

Plus they will build a new fence and enhanced planting around a water board area near the Ellon Bridge.

Volunteers including Mike Watson, Frances Watson and Aileen Taylor said they were "just delighted with the funds raised by Co-op members".

Friends of Ellon Cemetery hope to add more planters and plants to the older part of the Ellon Cemetery.

Bill Gibb, Muriel Smith and Ann Taylor attended the hand over and all three volunteers commented ‘It’s great to see funds raised locally by Co-op members, be paid out to local causes, allowing us to make a difference in our town’.

Ellon Academy Memorial Community Gardens (left) Dean Knox, Paula Coatesworth, Susan Swallow, Andrew Cruickshank and Barbara Last.
Ellon Academy Memorial Community Gardens (left) Dean Knox, Paula Coatesworth, Susan Swallow, Andrew Cruickshank and Barbara Last.

Teachers Susan Swallow and Andrew Cruickshank accepted cheque for the Ellon Academy Memorial Community Gardens.

They are thrilled with their funds and hope to use towards tarring paths in the memorial gardens.

Once Covid restrictions lift there are a quite few Ellon Community groups committed to helping transform the memorial gardens in a tranquil and peaceful space for staff, pupils and community.

Ellon Co-op member pioneer Barbara Last said: It’s wonderful that we could safely celebrate our local causes in person this year.

"It’s certainly a real highlight for all our Ellon Co-op colleagues, seeing the pure joy as each local cause receive their cheques!

"We'd also like to say a big thank you to our Co-op members.

"The new 2021/2022 Local Community Fund causes are now live.

"Co-op members can go ahead and pick their local cause via www.coop.co.uk or Co-op app".

Friends of Ellon Cemetery handover (left) Dean Knox with Paula Coatesworth, Muriel Smith, Bill Gibb, Ann Taylor and Barbara Last
Friends of Ellon Cemetery handover (left) Dean Knox with Paula Coatesworth, Muriel Smith, Bill Gibb, Ann Taylor and Barbara Last

Co-op members in Pitmedden in Meldrum who by swiping their blue membership cards over the past12 months raised an amazing £6763 joined together for their three local causes.

Recipients were Haddo Childrens Theatre who received £2090, Woodrecyclability who received £2523 and Ellon based Pawpalz who were gifted £2150.

Over the past five years Co-op nationally have raised £100 million pounds and supported 25,000 local causes across the UK. Making a difference in the local community matters to the Co-op.

As well as the Big Payout Celebrations. Co-op has recently refreshed its Community Wellbeing Index tool first developed in 2018.

This tool is free for anyone to access at https://communitywellbeing.coop.co.uk


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