We’re all aware of how convenience stores are vital to their local communities. But many go above and beyond the basic services of simply providing food and grocery by donating to charities near to themand more.
This year has seen a huge amount of money donated to an equally broad variety of deserving local and national charities,perhaps driven by the cost of living crisis and increased costs. Barely a day has gone by in 2025 when Convenience Store hasn’t reported on donations and charity drives driven by stores and their staff – and generous communities.
But for all that heartache, they are largely heartwarming tales of charities receiving often many thousands of pounds from stores and their communities.
Below are five of our favourites from across 2025, although many more will have been brought to our attention from each and every one of the symbol and fascia groups, supermarket stores and independents over the past 12 months.
Back in January, Booker Wholesale celebrated a milestone of 20 million meals donated via its partnership with FareShare charity and Olio.
Donations are delivered or collected directly from the wholesaler’s 190 branches, 11 distribution depots and Best Food Logistics business.
Booker sites are matched with charities and community groups in the local area that collect the items and turn them into food parcels or hot meals for the people they support.
In March, the Lincolnshire Co-op (above) pledged an enormous £200k to MacMillan Cancer Support in just a six-month period.
To reach the target, its Community Champions scheme combined the efforts of members, customers and colleagues via community fundraising events, such as sponsored walks and coffee mornings in Lincolnshire and the surrounding counties.
A donation this large would support the support line phone service for five weeks allowing over 10,000 calls and web enquiries from people in need of information or support to be dealt with.
In July, independent retailer LA Foods, which operates several Nisa stores, used its Making A Difference Locally funds to donate £5k to BEfriend’s one-to-one Befriending Project a service supporting adults of all ages across Hounslow and Ealing.
The funding will enable volunteers to continue providing one to two hours of weekly one-to-one support to vulnerable individuals in their homes and help run inclusive day trips.
Currently supporting 204 service users – the majority aged 50 and over, and over 65% living with physical, cognitive or sensory disabilities – the project also helps users living in some of the UK’s most deprived areas.
October saw St Andrews First Aid receive £5k from Scotmid, allowing Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity to fund the purchase of vital equipment to support training in communities across the country.
The donation cements a decade of a purpose-driven partnership between the pair, during which time, the organisations have worked together to support and underpin the charity’s ambition to create a nation of lifesavers in Scotland.
CPR manikins and defibrillator training units, which will be used to teach essential lifesaving skills through practical learning, in schools and communities around the country, would also be funded thanks to the funds.
Finally, in late October teams at the NewsTeam magazine group raised over £1k for second year running to help NewstrAid, the charity dedicated to helping people from the newstrade facing financial or emotional hardship.
The total was collected during NewsTeam’s conference in Cyprus, which brought together team members for a series of presentations, workshops and a fundraising evening.
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