The donation was raised through a fundraising campaign in Co-op stores, where 25p from every pack of Flora Buttery sold was donated to the Trust. The funding will help academies buy new equipment, giving thousands of students more opportunities to get active, try new sports and enjoy being active together.

To celebrate the partnership, a group of students from Co-op Academy North Manchester visited Co-op's headquarters at 1 Angel Square for a special cookery masterclass.

Led by professional chef Mark Rigby, students learned how to make three family favourites - macaroni cheese, garlic bread and Eton mess. Along the way, they picked up practical cooking skills, built confidence in the kitchen and discovered more about healthy eating.

The students didn't leave empty-handed either. Flora provided cooking dishes and utensils to help them recreate the recipes at home, while Co-op gifted shopping vouchers so they could buy the ingredients to cook for their families.

The partnership is about much more than fundraising. As well as helping schools invest in new sports equipment, it has given students the chance to learn new skills, try something different and take healthy habits home with them.

Keela Walsh, Academies Business Partner at Co-op, said:

"This partnership has been about so much more than raising money. It's given students the chance to learn new skills, get active and build healthy habits that they can take with them beyond the classroom. We're incredibly grateful to Flora for helping create opportunities that will make a real difference to our young people."

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