SCOUTS, schools, youth clubs and support groups are set to share in a £20m funding boost from the Co-op.

The store has just announced the latest beneficiaries of its local community fund and 15 causes are from the West Dorset area, or serve the whole county.

Each good cause is likely to receive several thousand pounds each, which means the West Dorset causes will share a potential £30,000.

The organisations are: Axminster Family Wellbeing, Musbury Moles Preschool, Woodbury Community Hall, Friends Of Stickland School Association, 1st Beaminster Scout Group, The Phoenix-Beaminster Youth Club, West Bay Sea Scouts, Bridport Support Group for Parkinson’s, Powerstock School Association, Dorset Search and Rescue, People First Dorset, Mosaic, Supporting Bereaved Children, Lyme Regis Sea School, Charmouth Primary School PTA and Town Mill Learning and Community Space.

When a Co-op member buys own-brand products from food stores or a funeral plan or funeral from Funeralcare they earn a five per cent reward for themselves with a further one per cent going to local good causes.

By joining the Co-op’s membership scheme shoppers can contribute to the money raised for the good causes, and they can choose which of these causes they wish to support by logging on to the Co-op’s membership website at www.coop.co.uk/membership

Jennifer Fearon, Area Manager for Co-op food stores in Bridport, said: “As a community retailer we want to support the causes that matter most to Co-op members in Bridport such as Dorset Search and Rescue, so we would urge people to visit us online to choose who they would like to support, and then shop with us to ensure the good causes get the most out of the fund.

“Nationwide the local community fund is making a real difference to charities and good causes throughout the country.

“Since we launched the membership scheme in September 2016, 8,000 organisations have shared £20 million, and we are confident that this year we will raise a further £20 million to be shared amongst the latest 4,000 causes.”