18 August 2022

Cleaning up for red squirrels in Ryde

Co-operative colleagues in Ryde are going nuts over their latest charity partner - The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust.

A crack team of colleagues from Southern Co-op's store in West Street recently popped along to the Dell, a recreation ground in Ryde, to help protect the native red squirrels.

The store team helped Helen Butler from The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust with rubbish clearance of the area which is one of the red squirrel sights in the Ryde area.

After clearing four sacks of litter, they then cut back overhanging bramble bushes before tidying the site and leaving for the squirrels to enjoy.

Mark, Store Manager at The Co-operative Food - Ryde, said: "It is great to have the Trust as our newest charity partner as a lot of our team are proud of our local wildlife.

"It was an enjoyable morning out of store. Thanks to Sam and Jodie who came to help. We are looking forward to completing it again come the early autumn."

Every year, each of Southern Co-op's local food stores choose a local partner which aims to create greener, safer, healthier or more inclusive neighbourhoods.

The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust is the store's latest partner and is a charity dedicated to the protection and survival of native red squirrels, their habitat, and the species that share it with them.

Helen Butler, from the Wight Squirrel Project, said: "If you see red squirrel, don't keep it to yourself, become a 'citizen scientist' by reporting the squirrel sighting (dead of alive) to Wight Squirrel Project."

The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust has recently launched 'virtual adoptions'. To find out more about adopting a red squirrel through the Trust, visit https://iowredsquirreltrust.co.uk/product-category/download.

Southern Co-op's Love Your Neighbourhood programme also enables charities and local causes to apply for grants of up to £500 to help sow the seeds to a secure, stronger future for everyone.

To find out more about local funding and other support available, visit www.neighbourly.com/SouthernCoop/campaigns.