SUPERMARKET customers have given more than a dozen good causes in the district a much needed cash boost.

A total of £6,800 has been dished out to 15 groups and charities thanks to the Co op's local community fund initiative.

The cash was raised through the supermarket's members scheme and from the sale of plastic carrier bags.

Among the recipients of the money were Children's Essex Short Breaks, Braintree Youth Project Charity (BYPC) and Hope House Essex.

The Co op says it has chosen to release the money now to help ease the financial strain caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Director Rebecca Birkbeck said: "The local community fund is now a well-established way of supporting local causes who help to make communities safer, happier, and healthier places to live.

"All the local community causes we’re connected to are at the centre of helping their communities.

"We’ve increased the payout to give the causes a vital cash injection to help them continue the essential work they do in the community at this time of crisis and difficulty for so many people."

The Co op's local community fund scheme began in 2016 and more than 21,000 causes across the UK have received a share of around £60m.

Supermarket bosses have also launched a separate coronavirus fund so that customers signed up to the members scheme can donate unspent rewards to charity.