Co-operative Bank customers come together to donate more than £1m to key charity partners

• In five years of The Co-operative Bank’s Everyday Reward scheme more than £1m has been donated in total to charity partners; Amnesty International UK, Hospice UK, Refuge, Oxfam GB and Woodland Trust.
  
  
• Co-operative Bank customers continue to show a real commitment to supporting key charities even through the challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Co-operative Bank is celebrating the milestone of more than £1million being donated across five charity partners through its Everyday Reward scheme.

Bank customers have shown they care by paying forward their monthly reward amounts to five amazing causes since 2016, and customers continue to show their support to these important charities even as the UK continues to face the challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

Working together with customers the bank has donated a total of more than £1m on their behalf to; Amnesty International UK, Hospice UK, Refuge, Oxfam GB and Woodland Trust. This donated money has been put to good use including; support for over 200 hospices who care for more than 200,000 adults and children each year, providing 5,747 nights of emergency accommodation for those fleeing domestic abuse and helped give lifesaving assistance to millions of people affected by conflict and disaster around the world.

Darrell Evans, managing director, retail banking, The Co-operative Bank, comments:
“We launched our Everyday Rewards scheme in 2016 giving customers the option to receive rewards each month, which they can either keep or donate to one of five charities. It’s a great way of helping our customers to support a really important cause on a regular basis.

“We’re delighted that this initiative has now surpassed £1 million in donations to our five Everyday Rewards partners. Our customers have shown an amazing commitment to supporting charities, communities and those in need, enabling us to achieve this fantastic milestone. We couldn’t be more grateful – and our charity partners are thrilled too.”

The Bank’s charity partners for the Everyday Rewards programme had the following comments:

Standing up for human rights with Amnesty International UK
“We’re thankful to Co-operative Bank customers for choosing to support Amnesty International over the last four years, and for helping us stand up for the human rights we should all enjoy. Support from bank customers has enabled us to campaign to reunite refugee families, train young human rights defenders and educate people of all ages about their rights. The world has become a different place over the last year but, with the support of Co-operative Bank customers, we’ve been able to continue to respond to the most urgent human rights issues facing us today.” – Amnesty International UK.

Enabling Hospice UK to provide vital care to thousands of people
“We are the national voice for hospices in the UK, and Co-operative Bank customer donations have enabled us to support over 200 hospices who care for more than 200,000 adults and children each year. We support hospices in many different ways, including providing education and training, awareness raising, and fundraising support. We are very thankful for the amazing support of Co-operative Bank customers.” – Hospice UK.

Helping families escape domestic abuse with Refuge
“We are honoured to be one of The Co-operative Bank's chosen charities for their innovative Everyday Rewards scheme over the last five years. We are truly in awe of the continued generosity of bank customers which has raised such a staggering amount for our services. The support of bank customers is the equivalent of us providing an astounding 5,747 nights in our emergency accommodation for a woman and her family fleeing abuse. We really can't thank Co-operative Bank customers enough.” – Refuge.

Supporting Oxfam’s life-changing projects all over the world
“Since 2016, Everyday Rewards customers have enabled Oxfam to give lifesaving assistance to millions of people, especially women, affected by conflict and disaster around the world. Bank customers have also supported long term projects that directly address people’s right to be heard, access sustainable food and address the challenges of gender inequality.” – Oxfam GB.

Protecting our green spaces with Woodland Trust
“Donations from The Co-operative Bank’s customers are vital in helping the Woodland Trust stand up for trees. Our vision for a UK rich in woods and trees, for people and wildlife, has never been more important. Thanks to the support of bank customers, we can continue our work fighting climate change, creating havens for wildlife and giving people access to beautiful woodlands they can visit and enjoy for free.” – Woodland Trust.