CHARITIES and good causes have received a £40,000 cash boost thanks to a new supermarket reward scheme.

As a result of the Co-op’s membership scheme which was launched last September, the money is to be shared among good causes across Meirionnydd and Dwyfor.

In Dolgellau, The League of Friends of the Dolgellau and Barmouth Community Hospital have received more than £2,800, and the Meironnydd Special Riding Group and Dolgellau and District Talking Newspaper for the Blind both received over £2,600.

The Barmouth store has handed cheques to the Dragon Theatre and local Girl Guides group for £4,500 each.

Côr Rhiannedd y Moelwyn (£1,358.71) and Caban Bach Nursery Barnardo’s (£1,465.34) received cheques from the Blaenau Ffestiniog store, while shoppers at the Bala store decided to hand £2,273.06 to Bala and Penllyn Sports and Recreation Association, £2,276.54 to Neuadd Bentref Llanuwchllyn and £2,265.23 to Neuadd Bro Derfel.

Tywyn shoppers have raised £3,888 for Neuadd Pendre Social Centre, £3,947.69 for The Margaret Barnard Playgroup Association and £3,769.86 Y Ganolfan Gymunedol.

The South Snowdonia Search and Rescue Team will also receive £1,586.16 from the scheme with Pwllheli Rainbows receiving a cheque for £301.

UK-wide, 4,000 good causes are sharing a total of £9 million.

Dolgellau store manager Steve Rye said: “As a community retailer we are delighted to be making such a contribution to organisations locally who contribute to improving local life – by listening to our members we are able to identify what communities care most about and then offer support that really makes a difference, and by working with and supporting local good causes great things really can and are happening.”

Across Wales, over £500,000 has been handed to local good causes since the scheme began seven months ago.