Mirfield Co-op worker praised for her ‘passionate’ and ‘enthusiastic’ community work

The well-known community champion, Joanne Taylor, has worked at the Mirfield Co-op on Huddersfield Road since 2006, and can often be found knitting or planning her next charity event.

Although Joanne joined the Mirfield Co-op team 16 years ago, her community champion journey began 11 years ago with the support of store manager John Marsh and funding from the Co-op.

Since then, Joanne has raised thousands for charity and carried out hundreds of community projects, from supporting local households through the Covid-19 pandemic, adopting two Guide Dogs (Holly and Cooper), to most recently receiving the 2022 Yorkshire Rose discretionary award, from Britain in Bloom, for her hard work on the Co-op garden.

Recently, Joanne has also knitted 190 poppies for the high street in Mirfield and is currently working on Chocolate Orange covers, Ferrero Rocher Christmas puddings, Christmas pudding baubles and Christmas cakes, which will all be sold for charity.

John Marsh, the Mirfield Co-op store manager, said: “Jo is always on the lookout to help anyone, whether that’s giving her time or raising money for charity, there is always an idea or two on her mind at any time to help or support the community and she works tirelessly to achieve her goals.

“She works with our fabulous team of colleagues in store and some really amazing people from the community who she has forged relationships with over the years, through her selfless passion and extremely charming character she works with them to achieve common goals which benefit the community.

“Recently, Jo received the 2022 Yorkshire Rose discretionary award for supporting the community. This award was in recognition to Jo’s enthusiasm, hard work and to her genuine passion to create a foundation of great community spirit and of course a continual floral beauty in all our gardens.

“You can often find her with a plant in her hand or knitting or a raffle book.”

However, Joanne says that she couldn’t have carried out this community work without the support of the local community, John, colleagues and friends.

Joanne Taylor said: "It's not just me, it's everybody. I'm just that person who makes the connections.

“It's down to the community. Everybody just bounces off each other.

"The staff at the co-op are also incredible and without them it wouldn't have been possible for us to receive the Britain in Bloom Award.

"That award is for the cop-op, I did it for the co-op. Not for me, for the store, because that's who we are - we are community builders.

"I am always thinking about what I can do next, It just never stops.

"It's like Christmas cakes, I have made 57 this year. I make them and whatever I raise goes to charity.

"This year a high percentage is going to The Kirkwood because that's closest to my heart at the moment. I will then find different ones where they need support. I do it every year.

"Thank you to everybody, because without them this would have never been possible.

“The support everybody gives me from the store manager, down to friends, that means so much to me.”