The Okehampton and Hatherleigh Co-op branches have raised over £20,000 between them for six local community groups as part of supermarket chain’s local community fund.

The Okehampton branch has raised over £11,000 in total, £3,755 will go to the Okehampton Brownies, £3,594 will be donated to the Excelsior Silver Band and £3,894 to the Okehampton Rugby Club.

The Hatherleigh branch has raised nearly £9,000 of which £2,869 will be given to the Hatherleigh Players and £2,984 to Made-Well, a Hatherleigh-based non-profit organisation which provides day activities to local disabled people and those with mental health difficulties. The Co-op will also donate £2,910 to the Hatherleigh Youth Football Club.

The money will be used to fund a range of purchases, including kitchen equipment for the Brownies, new head microphones and wardrobe for the Hatherleigh Players and a milk machine at the Made-Well centre.

The groups also hope to use the donations to expand their services and provide new opportunities for their members. Okehampton’s silver band hope to upgrade their facilities in order to teach more people to read and play music while the rugby club plans to expand its playing space for the junior team and promote women’s rugby.