Pegswood Community Park receives a cash boost from Co-op shoppers

The donation means that Groundwork North East and Cumbria will be able to plant more trees and flower meadows and generally improve the biodiversity at the site, which is a popular destination for walkers, families and dog walkers.

Shoppers chose Pegswood Community Park as their nominated charity in the Co-op’s Local Community Causes scheme that encourages customers to make donations to their preferred charity every time they make a purchase on the Co-op App.

Groundwork manages the site in partnership with the park’s owners, the Banks Group, and hosts regular volunteering and community activity sessions there with members of the public, local interest groups and local businesses.

Kristine Boyd, Co-op member pioneer, said: “We are delighted to have made such an impact with our donation. Pegswood Community Park is exactly the type of local cause that the scheme was set up to help.

“We want to see the park thrive and develop, and we love that our contribution is helping. We hope to work with Groundwork in the future to support more of its projects across the region.”

It also holds outdoor and green wellness sessions and regular volunteering days for people referred via social prescribing, as well as bespoke park-based activity sessions commissioned by organisations including the NHS.

Kevin Clarke of Groundwork North East and Cumbria said: “We are so thankful to shoppers at the Pegswood branch of the Co-op, firstly for nominating the park and Groundwork as one of their Co-op Local Community Causes choices, and secondly for donating to the cause.”