Grants totalling over £288,000 have been handed to 55 charities, community groups, and voluntary organisations which help vulnerable local people whose lives have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation – including 9 on the Island.
The grants from the ‘We’re All Together’ Fund will help family support groups, mental health and wellbeing organisations, homeless charities and groups tackling loneliness and isolation across the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight region. 7 larger strategic grants will also enable local organisations to focus on digital inclusion, financial awareness and black and minority ethnic community needs.
A grant to Youth Options is providing outdoor learning activity days for children and young people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight who have suffered bereavement and care leavers whose lives have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The project gets young people outside, investigating nature, building friendships with others who have shared experiences and forming supportive relationships with staff.
Carly Redwood, Fundraising & Communications Manager at Youth Options said:
“The pandemic has made a huge impact on children and young people. Many are facing loss; whether that is the loss of opportunities or, very sadly, the premature loss of a loved one. We are incredibly grateful to HIWCF for allowing us the opportunity to support those that need us most, allowing them to build relationships, spend positive time outdoors, and build up coping strategies to support their mental wellbeing.”
Kate Shurety, Interim Chief Executive at HIWCF, said:
“We would like to thank our donors for their goodwill and generosity for our ‘We’re All Together’ Fund, enabling us to support the health and wellbeing of those who are most vulnerable in our local communities.
“There are huge social needs resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and we urge families and businesses to partner with us to focus on helping those less fortunate as we know the crisis is far from over.
Article continues below this advertisement “Our new Recovery Fund will be launching soon, to help communities to recover from what has been an incredibly difficult time, please do join us and help us to make a difference to the lives of local people.”
Since 2006, HIWCF has distributed £13 million in grant funding to support local communities and last year provided emergency grants worth £2.3 million to provide groceries, hot meals, medication, laptops and befriending services for those needing help during the pandemic.
The team are keen to talk to local businesses, families and individuals who would like to get involved and help the local charitable sector to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Other groups on the Isle of Wight to receive grant funding include:
- Aspire Ryde
- Ryde Methodist Church
- Home-Start IOW
- Suicide Prevention and Intervention Isle of Wight
- People Matter IW
- Storeroom2010
- Issorropia
- Isle of Wight Youth Trust
sometimes wonder – that home start isle of wight charity – its accounts show grants totalling £110,000, however, it spent over £90k on the wages of one full time staff member and five part timers. Doesn’t leave a lot for the charitable activities they are supposed to provide.
https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/4022709/accounts-and-annual-returns
The word “vulnerable” is so often misused these days. It applies too many times to aggressive drunks and lowlife.