Nisa charity touches milestone figure in fund raise

Nisa’s charity Making a Difference Locally is celebrating raising £18 million for small causes and community groups across the UK since its inception in 2008.

Making a Difference Locally (MADL) is Nisa’s registered charity, which enables independent retailers to donate money and support to their local communities.

Nisa retailers and wholesale partners raise funds through the purchase of Co-op own brand products and then choose local beneficiaries for the money.

Additional money can also be raised via MADL in-store collecting tins and clothing banks. Clothing banks have so far raised £85,000, whilst collection tins have contributed over £200,000 for local causes. Over £1 million has been raised since September 2023 with over 2,000 individual donations across Nisa retailers in the UK.

Currently, over £100,000 per month is raised across Nisa’s retailer group thanks to Co-op own brand products.

2024 has been as busy as ever for MADL with four of its key retailers achieving significant donation milestones. Proudfoot Supermarkets celebrated reaching £200,000 in MADL donations in July, whilst Dike & Son and LA Foods also celebrated £100,000 milestones. The Pricewatch Group recently marked £75,000 in local donations.

MADL has continued to run Heart of the Community funding with the most recent ‘stronger communities’ initiative providing a maximum funding pot of £250,000 across Nisa’s retailer base – MADL’s largest ever Heart of the Community pot. Previous initiatives this year included Brighter Futures and Food Pantries.

Making a Difference Locally was also shortlisted for the Community Engagement Programme of the Year award at the People in Retail Awards.

Kate Carroll, Head of Charity at Nisa, said: “I’m so proud of our retailers for reaching the £18 million raised milestone and I’m equally proud of our MADL team for the extraordinary work they do to ensure our retailers can provide this support back to their communities.

“We’ve achieved so much so far in 2024 and had so much interest in our latest Heart of the Community funding opportunity. Despite a tough marketplace for our retailers currently, their community work remains unrivalled, and I know how appreciative their communities are of this vital support.”