Tell Co-op what you couldn’t live without in your local community - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[AmeliaMumsnet]

Whether it’s meeting new friends, amenities for the kids, or clubs and charities, it’s so important to make the most of the community you live in. Co-op want to know what you couldn’t live without where you live. Whether it’s where you are now, or the place that really feels like home, which clubs, activities, or services really make a difference to you in your local area?

Here’s what the Co-op have said: ‘Local community values are so important to us - that’s why we give 1% of everything our members spend on selected Co-op branded products and services from Co-op Group businesses, including food stores and funeral homes, to local initiatives in your community. So far, we’ve paid out £9 million to over 4,000 local causes! You can find out more, and sign up to become a member, here.’

You can read the Co-op’s membership T&Cs here.

Whether it’s a local event that brings everyone together, an after school sports club that gets your DC outdoors and active, or even just the beautiful natural scenery, Co-op want to know what really matters to you locally. So tell them about those local services, amenities or events that you just couldn't live without by posting in the thread below.

Every MNer who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

We have a great community garden where the kids can play. There's a compost heap and people can help themselves to veg, herbs and the odd strawberry. It's great.

We live in a village with good facilities ... a large library, children's play area, lovely country-side, a decent bus service to surrounding areas, a Post Office and a local Co-op! As we have no car at the moment, all these services are a god-send and we make use of them as much as possible. We walk a lot, so the beautiful local country-side and our local shop are our essentials.

We have a lovely vibrant community with lots of pubs, restaurants and food shops. We have a great library and public spaces like the park .

Our local library is fabulous and puts on so many community events. I would be gutted if they were ever closed (always a threat u dear Tory spending cuts).

The RSPB lodge is very near me - it attracts lots of local people to visit, enjoy nature and take part in activities and events. They have all sorts of things for children and families and it is a lovely way to meet people and get close to wildlife.

Community Messy Church is on the 2nd Sunday of every month in our local Pavilion, the kids get to do arts and crafts and parents get to natter, then there is a little bit of prayer followed by a meal. It's all free and supported by the local Church, the idea is to bring the Church to a different place and make people feel more relaxed about attending, and it works. We Love It xx

The Local Pub :-) . Not because we are always on the beer but we don't have a local village shop and the pub is the real focus point of the village. So friendly and welcoming and the perfect place to meet up with local tradesmen to get jobs done quickly, professionally and at a good price.

My DS has ADHD and is on the autistic spectrum, he loves sport, so the local children's rugby team has been a godsend for him. He gets to go out twice a week in a supervised, safe environment and it keeps him fit too.

The botanic gardens! A great place to get some vitamin D on days like today :)

We live in a new estate and its just a brilliant little community of families. We have street bbqs, the kids are always playing together on the field next door and it just feels safe. Very thankful.

My children go to the Local Catholic School and as we were not Catholic's, we did not realise how much the Catholic Church connected to the school does for the local community.

We now attend church and all the events they organise and the school and church help with providing food for poor families in the area which my children are involved in. This has given them a really good understanding of the importance of helping others.

I couldn't live without our park that is just up the road. So handy, it helps the family burn off excess energy after school and at weekends. Many friendships have been formed there

We have fabulous coastal walks which we enjoy every day whatever the weather or season when dog walking. It grounds one and I feel so strongly that governments ignore greenery at their peril. We need trees and plants for oxygen, to clean our air but at a very primitive level it has a calming effect.

for me it is my son's local football team. I have been taking him since he was 4. It was founded by our local church. We have a close group of parents who bring coffee on cold match days, and ice pops on warm ones. There is a stall for the away supporters to make them feel welcome and part of the community. We have fundraising days to make money for the club and the church, all the neighbours and locals attend. The support from the local community when we got to a final was fabulous. Sunday mornings are the best mornings of the week for me.

I couldn't live without having a play park to visit within walking distance of our home. When the children just need to release energy somehow, I always know that we can go there and they will have fun and I can have a nice walk outside. When we visit the in laws in North Africa, it's definitely the thing I miss most.

Lots of local walks with stunning scenery and plenty of nature around

I love our local markets. We have a general market on a Tuesday and Friday and a specialist market once a month on a Saturday.

I live in a smallish village and right after my ds was born last year a mum at the church opposite set up a baby group which was really for all the mums of babies to get together and have a chat with tea and cake. It's become so big that mums and dads of the surrounding area so come and it's now a noisy and fun group with toddlers and Newborns, singing and crafts. I needed this to get me out the house as I had (and still have) post natal anxiety and depression. I recommend groups like this to all my friends who are new mums. They don't need to go to the Super duper massage/yoga/swim classes if they are only wanting to get out the house (though I'm sure they are ace!)

We have some fab local toddler groups which I have really benefited from.

The local park. Dont have lots of graden space so its good to stretch the legs and enjoy.

The park for both kids and dogs.

we have a fantastic children centre. My 2 year old loves it there and it definitely keeps me sane!

Canoe Club and Swimming Club for our 2 sons they were socially active and became confident lads

Fantastic park, lake and kids playground

we have a fab church in our community, we aren't a religious family but go there often, they do so much for the local area, from allowing the local primary school to carry out their plays and performances there, to providing a drop in centre for the homeless they are just amazing and so active in the local area as well as raising money for ghana