Nine North Somerset causes will benefit from a chunk of Co-op’s ‘fantastic’ £20milllion funding pot.

Portishead Pool Community Trust, Pill & District Children’s and Young Person’s Partnership and the 1st Crockerne Scout Group are among the good causes which could be handed thousands of pounds.

The Co-op launched its local community fund to provide funding to schemes and causes which work on low incomes.

Winners do not yet know how much they will be handed from the chain but a Co-op spokesman told the Times previous years had seen winners awarded between £4,000-5,000.

North Somerset Mencap (NSM) director Jenny Tolhurst said the donation would ‘help immensely’ and she ‘could not be happier’ for the people who use the service.

She added: “The money will help us to provide activities to our young people.

“It really is fantastic to receive the money as it does cost us a great deal to run our charity and services.”

NSM has been running for more than 40 years and provides support for children and adults with a learning disability and their families and carers.

The charity will put the money towards its summer camp as well as other activities.

Another winner is Long Ashton Junior Football Club who plan to use the money to buy kit and equipment for the 190 children at the club.

Treasurer Phil Downey told the Times: “It is brilliant to be chosen and the money will be a great benefit to a club like ours which is entirely volunteer run.”

The amount the business donates will be determined by how much Co-op members buy own-brand products from food stores or funeral plans.

Co-op area manager Anthony Wright said: “As a community retailer we want to support the causes which matter most to Co-op members such as NSM.

“Nationwide the fund is making a real difference to charities and good causes.

“Since we launched the membership scheme in September 2016, 8,000 organisations have shared £20million and we are confident this year we will raise a further £20million to be shared among the latest 4,000 causes.”

Other causes which will benefit include Weston’s Theatre Orchard, St Mary’s Pre School in Yatton and Congresbury War Memorial Hall.