The Co-operative Charity of the year

Monday 18 October 2010

Mencap and ENABLE are The Co-operative Group's new Charity of the year partners

The Co-operative shopThe Co-operative Group employees have chosen Mencap and its sister charity, ENABLE Scotland, as its Charity of the year partners for 2011.

More than 42,000 employees of The Co-operative took part in the Charity of the year selection. The new partnership will be officially launched in January 2011.

The Co-operative will embark on a year-long programme of fundraising to help transform the lives of 20,000 young people with a learning disability. It is aiming to raise £5 million.

Support from The Co-operative will allow Mencap and ENABLE to launch a ground-breaking programme offering more support to young people with a learning disability, including a range of volunteering, employment and community involvement opportunities.

Peter Marks, group chief executive of The Co-operative Group, said: "We have set ourselves a tough target of raising £5 million for this very worthwhile cause. However, I am confident that with the help of our supportive staff, customers and members across our family of businesses, Mencap and ENABLE Scotland will be able to make a massive difference to thousands of young people in the UK with a learning disability."

Mark Goldring, Mencap's chief executive, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen by The Co-operative Group to be its Charity of the year, and look forward to working closely with the Group's staff, members and customers to help as many young people as possible to aim high and fulfil their dreams.

"Having a learning disability should never mean that a young person is victimised or ignored. The Co-operative Charity of the year support will help us to empower young people with a learning disability to challenge these prejudices and inspire others to see the person and not the disability."