Co-op and its retail media business, Co-op Media Network (CMN), have today announced that they are official sponsors of the Special Olympics Great Britain (GB) National Summer Games 2026 – alongside Headline Partner, Coca-Cola – reinforcing the convenience retailer’s commitment to supporting communities across the UK.
Former Special Olympics GB Athlete Leadership Team Chair Katie Day, who will represent Special Olympics City of Birmingham in swimming in her home city at the Special Olympics GB National Summer Games.
Special Olympics GB uses sport to ensure that people with an intellectual (learning) disability are seen, valued and taken seriously and its National Summer Games is country’s largest inclusive multi-sport event of the year. The Games brings together more than 1,200 athletes with an intellectual disability from across England, Scotland and Wales, and culminates with a flagship multi-sport event in Birmingham from 27-30 August 2026.
As official sponsors, Co-op and CMN will provide own-brand food and drink to support athletes, volunteers and organisers during Special Olympics GB’s National Summer Games as part of a wider commitment to help communities access good food while supporting meaningful social impact.
One of the athletes competing at the Games is Co-op’s very own Alex Rae from the retailer’s Rosehill Drive store in Aberdeen. Alex has been involved with Special Olympics GB since 2009 and has been competing in table tennis at this year’s games.
Alex said: “Special Olympics GB is a fantastic organisation that’s given me opportunities to compete, grow and achieve things I never thought possible. Co-op’s support is helping more people understand what Special Olympics GB is all about and what athletes with an intellectual disability can achieve.”
The sponsorship sits alongside a returning in-store award winning awareness campaign – Meals That Matter – that launched in 2025, in collaboration with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), to celebrate the achievements of Special Olympics GB athletes.
The campaign features Special Olympics GB athletes across various customer-facing touch points across 1,000 convenience stores. Donations to Special Olympics GB are generated through the purchase of a bespoke Co-op food deal that includes Coca-Cola products, helping to support the charity’s work across Great Britain.
Since launching in 2025, the Meals That Matter partnership has raised over £200,000 for Special Olympics GB, helping it use sport to ensure that people with an intellectual disability are seen, valued and taken seriously.
Dean Harris, Head of Co-op Media Network, said: “Thanks to the incredible Meals that Matter campaign, millions of people now know the Special Olympics GB exists and what these amazing athletes have achieved. Being able to elevate and support the athletes further is a privilege for Co-op and that’s what makes the Co-op Media Network different, as we’re not just providing retail media, we’re working together to achieve bigger things for our partners and our communities.”
Laura Baxter MBE, Chief Executive of Special Olympics GB, said: “It’s been fantastic to work with Co-op and Co-op Media Network over the last 18 months through Meals That Matter, where our athletes have been championed in its stores and customers have been inspired by everything they achieve.
“Enhancing this relationship through a National Summer Games partnership is a fantastic step forward, and we’re very excited to be working with the team to bring this to life. We’re incredibly grateful for their support and look forward to activating their exciting plans when the Games culminate in Birmingham next week.”
For some athletes, the National Summer Games will serve as a pathway towards selection for the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Chile in 2027. Beyond the Games, Special Olympics GB supports year-round participation through a network of more than 100 grassroots sports clubs across 27 sports, helping people with intellectual disabilities access training, competition and community opportunities throughout the year.
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