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Somerset Wildlife Trust Announces New Corporate Member - Southern Co-op

Somerset Wildlife Trust welcomes Southern Co-op as a Corporate Member!

Somerset Wildlife Trust is pleased to welcome Southern Co-op to its corporate member scheme.

Earlier this year, Southern Co-op was one of only 31 organisations in the UK to receive the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development, recognising its commitment to sustainability. It has also been encouraging others to take action against climate change, including in banning the sale of disposable barbecues last month.

Aligning itself with the Trust’s values and joining the scheme will support its environmental sustainability strategy and its mission to raise awareness of environmental and conservation issues across its member base.

With over 300 community food stores, coffee shops, funeral services, and natural burial grounds and crematoria spread across southern England, Southern Co-op has been operating in the UK since 1873. Today, many of its primary targets focus on addressing the environmental challenges we currently face — particularly with regards to climate change — and range from reducing carbon emissions to supporting sustainable food-production methods.

Gemma Lacey, Director Sustainability & Communications at Southern Co-op said, “We’re delighted to support Somerset Wildlife Trust in its dedicated efforts to help protect Somerset’s wildlife and landscapes for generations to come. The Trust’s goals, to inspire people to take positive action for wildlife, reverse biodiversity loss and tackle the climate crisis, is perfectly in line with our values.

“Somerset Wildlife Trust joins a host of other Trusts we already support including Devon, Dorset, Hampshire & Isle of Wight, and Sussex. By working with these groups, we can support our sustainability goals to create space for wildlife, support nature recovery and help people benefit from a healthy, natural environment.”

Katie Arber, Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Director of Fundraising & Marketing, added, “The Wildlife Trusts believe that, by working with businesses who share our concern for the environment, we can create a brighter future for the natural world.

“It’s exciting to join forces with an organisation built on celebrating community, with a long-standing vision to make a difference in the local communities it supports, including here in Somerset”.

The support provided by Southern Co-op will help the Trust to build a Nature Recovery Network across Somerset and engage with local communities, helping them to develop the skills and expertise needed to take the long-term lead in caring for their local areas and the wildlife that call them home.

If you would like to find out more about Southern Co-op’s commitment to sustainability, please click the button below to visit their website:

Find out more

Further Information

Press Office: 

PR Lead - emily,weatherburn@somersetwildlife.org

Communications Manager - heather.oneill.somersetwildlife.org

Social Media:

Where to Find Us:

Somerset Wildlife Trust
34 Wellington Road
Taunton
TA1 5AW

Somersetwildlife.org

Photos

Please contact emily.weatherburn@somersetwildlife.org for any photos relating to this press release.

Any photos provided are granted on a one-time use basis, in association with this release, and the photographer must be credited.

About Somerset Wildlife Trust

Somerset Wildlife Trust is a nature conservation charity. Its purpose is to restore and protect the populations of species across the county and the habitats they call home. Climate change is one of the greatest threats to nature, natural habitats and the ecosystems that support our life on earth.  Our aims are to help address both the ecological and climate crises and put nature back into people’s lives.

Nature reserves and protected sites on their own are not enough. In order to reverse the decline in species’ diversity and abundance, and create resilient landscapes and habitats for wildlife and for people that can adapt to climate change, we need to: 

  • encourage and support landowners to manage their land positively for nature; create more space for nature;
  • connect wildlife-rich spaces across the wider landscape to create a robust Nature Recovery Network for Somerset; and
  • create a movement of people – at least 1 in 4 – that take action for nature’s recovery across Somerset as part of Team Wilder. 

About Southern Co-op

Southern Co-op (southernco-op.co.uk) is a regional, independent co-operative operating more than 300 food, funeral and Starbucks coffee branches across the south of England as well as Welcome franchise stores. The large co-operative has a commitment to sustainable business and a promise to provide a fair, fresh approach, for all. This is achieved through investment in its communities, the action it takes to protect its environment and its support for local food producers. Owned by more than 150,000 members, it has an annual turnover of £490m and more than 4,000 colleagues.

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