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've got a lovely park near to us- as well as play equipment for kids of various ages, there's a large green surrounded by trees and a stream running through. It's really nice, but what keeps it so beautiful is largely down to the efforts of a small group of local dog walkers, who are down there most days litter picking as their dogs exercise.
It's sad that they end up with full bags of other people's rubbish most of the time, but I think it's wonderful that they do that and help keep it as a place we can all enjoy safely x

I love our local parks, so varied and we are spoiled for choice, as there are kids play areas, great plants, cafes or just beautiful green spaces to wander.

I couldn't live without my local Post Office. We live in a village on the outskirts of a small city and would have to take a 40 minute bus ride into town to use a Post Office if we didn't have one.

The parks. There are several within walking distance which means the children never get bored visiting the same park. On a nice summers day you can do a park crawl!

Our local library.

Holds baby groups , music sessions for toddlers, and obviously brilliant so we can all borrow books.

We could not live without the local park

I think our library services are a major asset. We visit regularly to check out books but even just to have a play as they have a brilliant children's section set up with toys at the ready. Additionally they run rhyme time and play and learn sessions which are suitable from birth to up to five years old. This is where I have learnt again the words to nursery rhymes which I had long forgotten. They also put on creative sessions through the year and loads of activities in the school holidays. All for free! Love the library.

I couldn't live without our Library as my DCs love going in to choose new books and the Library puts on storey reading events which keeps my DCs quiet and occupied for a while where I can sit down and enjoy a peaceful cup of tea.

I couldn't live without a park. It's a crap one but it does the job. In an ideal world I would like a butchers and a little coffee/cake shop but don't think that will happen.

Our library and our park.
We had a local library that was a really short walk away but it closed down. Still have a larger one and visit it with the children every two to three weeks.

Newham Carnival here we come

We have some lovely footpaths that lead to the centre of town, about two miles away, unfortunately they are often in a poor state of repair. We have several children's play parks but only one of them has been updated in the last twenty years. These are the two things I love in our town and wish were improved.

The green open spaces- the parks, woods & countryside
We're very lucky to live in an area surrounded by natural beauty & great scenery.
Nothing like fresh air, seeing wildlife & going for country walks!

Our local swimming pool, for fun with family and lane swimming for fitness.

We are lucky enough to have a beautiful nature reserve very close by where there are places left wild to encourage wild life. Its great to be able to take the children there for a walk after school.

We live in a very small town and we love our local library, local parks, local shops - particularly the small independent butchers, coffee shops and gift shops, newsagents. We have a great local amateur dramatic society which lots of adults of all ages and children are involved in. Local dance groups for children and for adults too. The area around us is full of lovely places to walk, ride bikes and just enjoy nature.

To be very truthful we live a little bit 'out of the way' and have very few 'amenities' HOWEVER - we are really lucky to live on the beach and this provides so many opportunities for fun that I do not know quite what I would do without it! All the usual activities in the summer and beach-combing and walks and games throughout the year. We have sledge races on the shingle banks. Behind us we have a bird observatory that is open to the public all year round with many activities such as pond dipping too so I just consider the natural environment as being our blessing.

We have a great little soft play here, it's quite small so I can always see my 3 year old while I play with the baby in the younger area, serves lovely kid friendly lunches and amazing cakes. Great for him to blow of some steam. As I'm on maternity leave i really love all the baby groups at the children's centre at the moment to meet other mums.

Our community YMCA. Its brilliant. Courses for adults, activities for kids, free internet, coffee and cakes, advice on benefits and housing. There's something for everyone. Even karate classes and a fully equipped recording studio and much much more.

Our local library in Cambridge, Rock Road. It's tucked away and tiny but a real hub of the local community, with a gorgeous garden and selection of children's books. Space is so at a premium where we live so it's great to have such a wonderful facility close by. I would hate to lose it!

The local park. Sport, picnics, learning in nature. All weather, free, always open, community events. We are very lucky.

The local libraries are invaluable for the communities but are in real danger of being closed down due to cuts.

The pub. It's a really good community hub. So many people in our village don't realise how lucky we are to have a good pub.

Joining in on the library love! A fabulous, cosy, safe place where I have passed on my love of reading to my children.

local park and the pub in the middle!