Shoppers at The Heart of England Co-operative Society help raise £3,850 for Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice

Shoppers at the Heart of England Co-operative Society who purchased 5p single-use carrier bags in the six months to April this year have helped raise £3,850 for a Coventry baby hospice.

The sales, across the Society’s network of food stores in Coventry, Warwickshire, south Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, raised more than £30,000 in total – every penny of which is being shared among a number of charities.

Zoë’s Place, which cares for babies and children aged 0 to 5, received £3,850.

The hospice, in Easter Way, Ash Green, opened its doors five years ago and provides 24-hour palliative, respite and end-of-life care.

Costing £1.3 million a year to run, services at the hospice include hydrotherapy, music and multi-sensory environments, a self-contained parents’ suite, the Starlight room, in which parents may stay during difficult times, and five child-friendly cot rooms.

Mick McCann, Fundraising Manager of the hospice, said: “We are grateful to the Heart of England Co-operative Society and indeed its customers who have helped us to land this generous windfall.

“When we first opened our doors just five years ago we were only open some three or four days a week. Now, thanks to the ongoing support of our fundraisers, volunteers, and indeed our staff and our families, we are able to open round the clock every day.

“But to keep this service going, and to ensure we can provide the love and care for every child who comes to us for support, we need to make sure we raise another £1.3 million over the next year.”

Jo Dyke, Community and Membership Adviser at the Heart of England Co-operative Society, said: “Since opening its doors five years ago Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice has touched the hearts of people across Coventry and Warwickshire and no-one can fail to be moved by the plight of the babies and children under its care.

“With the help of our customers we are delighted to be able to help the hospice and the families it serves. Hopefully our donation will go some way to helping the Zoë’s Place community – including its staff, volunteers and the families of the children – continue providing this vital service.”

The Society is among thousands of retailers operating the levy which was introduced by the government in October last year to reduce damage to the environment.

Government statistics show that in 2014 customers used more than 7.6 billion single-use bags, equating to 61,000 tonnes or 140 bags for every person in Britain.

Research on behalf of the government showed that the average household contained some 40 plastic bags around the home, while the number of carrier bags taken from supermarkets continued to increase year on year in the five years to 2014.

As well as the environmental benefits the government believes the levy will benefit the economy by up to £780 million over the next 10 years, with up to £730 million raised in aid of good causes, £60 million of savings in clean-up costs and carbon savings of £113 million.

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