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Our community cause recently received £4,534 from Co-op, thanks to Co-op Members and the Local Community Fund. The money is being used to launch our ‘My Edge’ programme, which will bring the arts to vulnerable people in our community with new projects, discounted tickets and volunteering opportunities.

Our community, our choice

Our local cause is The Edge, a thriving and accessible Theatre & Arts Centre in Chorlton, Manchester. We believe that everyone should have access to the Arts as a basic human right.

We stage high-quality performances and deliver a rich programme of meaningful and often life-changing activity with vulnerable people, including homeless people and those at risk of homelessness, disabled children and adults, offenders and people with mental health, drug or alcohol dependencies.

Like many local charities and causes, we’re always on the lookout for ways to raise valuable funds to continue our work within our community. So when we heard of the Co-op Local Community Fund we applied right away. The application process was easy and we have really enjoyed building a relationship with Co-op’s community team.

Knowing that the £4,534 we received will help widen participation to our neighbouring Mersey Bank and Arrowfield estates, which are among the 10% most deprived communities in the country, makes us excited about the difference we can make.

We would advise other local community causes to apply for the Local Community Fund, because it has not only meant that we are able to deliver the project from a financial point of view, but also increase knowledge of what we do within our local community – it is a wonderful way of raising awareness about our cause.

Hannah McAdam
The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre