The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) has once again been working in partnership with the National Emergencies Trust (NET), to distribute grants totalling £200,281 to 47 local charities, community and voluntary organisations across the region.
The grants are supporting the services and resources of smaller charities, community groups and voluntary organisations to help vulnerable people experiencing really tough times as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Parklife Community Café in St James, Park, Shirley in Southampton has been awarded a grant to help distribute emergency food seven days a week, to those isolating to stay safe, including individuals, families and organisations such as women’s refuges and schools with vulnerable children.
Paula Shapland, Cafe Manager added “We are delighted to have received a grant from the National Emergencies Trust which will enable us to continue to help the most vulnerable in our community and help to sustain our project for the future.”
Crondall and Ewshot Village Pump Group near Farnham will be using their grant to make well-being calls to older residents, many who live alone, to check they are safe and well. A weekly nutritious lunch, produced by the Hampshire Arms Pub in Crondall, is also being delivered by volunteer drivers to support 45 vulnerable members.
Tony Hopkins of The Crondall and Ewshot Village Pump Group added “The Crondall and Ewshot Village Pump Group have been making well-being calls and delivering a weekly free lunch to the older people of Crondall and Ewshot since the start of the pandemic. Last week we passed the 2,000 meal mark and this amazing grant from the National Emergencies Trust will enable us to continue to provide lunches for another two months through to the end of April 2021.”
A grant to Dentaid will enable five new mobile clinics to provide dental support for homeless people in the Fareham area.
Sue Smith, Dentaid Development Manager commented “Thanks to this National Emergencies Trust grant, Dentaid will be able to provide emergency dental care and oral health advice for homeless and vulnerably housed people in Fareham. Sadly, more than 70 per cent of homeless people are living with the misery of toothache and dental decay but face many barriers to accessing dental treatment. By taking our mobile dental unit to Two Saints’ homeless service in Fareham, our volunteers will be able to offer dental treatments, oral cancer screening and dental health advice which can help to alleviate pain and restore confidence.”
Kate Shurety, Interim Chief Executive Officer at HIWCF said “We would like to thank the National Emergencies Trust for once again enabling the local charitable sector to respond to the needs of our local communities, which together with HIWCF’s awareness of local priorities means that grants are helping those hit hardest by the Covid-19 crisis. The challenges of the last year have shown that community is key, with the charitable sector working flat out to help vulnerable people, despite in many cases losing their entire income stream. These grants are providing a lifeline to communities, enabling groups to continue to adapt and respond in the most demanding of circumstances.”
HIWCF is committed to supporting the resources and projects of smaller local charities, community groups and voluntary organisations across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. During 2020, the Foundation awarded grants of over £2.3 million to help disadvantaged and vulnerable people impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The organisations to receive a grant are listed below:
| Organisation | Area | Grant Amount |
| Basingstoke & District Disability Forum (BDDF) | Basingstoke and Deane | £4,260 |
| Basingstoke Counselling Service | Basingstoke and Deane | £4,538 |
| Basingstoke Mencap | Basingstoke and Deane | £4,371 |
| Citizens Advice Bureau Tadley & District | Basingstoke and Deane | £5,000 |
| Loddon Valley Day Care Centre T/A Tadley Elderly Day Care | Basingstoke and Deane | £4,436 |
| Pregnancy Options Centre | Chichester | £5,000 |
| Dogs for Autism | East Hampshire | £5,000 |
| Whitehill Village Hall | East Hampshire | £2,990 |
| Awaaz FM Community Radio | Eastleigh | £5,000 |
| Fledge | Eastleigh | £4,580 |
| Loud and Proud | Gosport | £4,900 |
| MAKE Gosport | Gosport | £4,940 |
| Thomas Morley Trust | Gosport | £5,000 |
| Crondall & Ewshot Village Pump Group | Hart | £2,000 |
| Bodster CIC | Isle of Wight | £2,600 |
| Independent Arts | Isle of Wight | £3,069 |
| Jigsaw Family Support | Isle of Wight | £5,000 |
| St Marys Church | Isle of Wight | £4,647 |
| Wessex Cancer Trust | Isle of Wight | £4,798 |
| Age Concern New Forest | New Forest | £4,918 |
| Dentaid | New Forest | £3,750 |
| FareShare Southern Central | New Forest | £5,000 |
| New Forest Disability Information Service | New Forest | £4,940 |
| New Forest Mencap | New Forest | £3,180 |
| Bivol Trust | Portsmouth | £2,550 |
| Connors Toy Libraries | Portsmouth | £2,308 |
| Enable Ability | Portsmouth | £4,860 |
| Good Mental Health Cooperative | Portsmouth | £4,168 |
| Harbour Church Portsmouth | Portsmouth | £5,000 |
| Headway Portsmouth and South East Hampshire | Portsmouth | £4,813 |
| HIVE Portsmouth | Portsmouth | £3,023 |
| Home-Start Portsmouth | Portsmouth | £4,657 |
| John Pounds Community Trust | Portsmouth | £4,950 |
| Mustard Seed Ministries | Portsmouth | £2,494 |
| PCC Care Leavers Trust (Flying Solo) | Portsmouth | £4,690 |
| Ready2Shine CIC | Portsmouth | £4,810 |
| Rushmoor Healthy Living (RHL) | Rushmoor | £5,000 |
| Source Young People’s Charity | Rushmoor | £3,400 |
| Board in the City CIC | Southampton | £5,000 |
| FolkActive CIC | Southampton | £4,992 |
| Parklife Community Cafe | Southampton | £5,000 |
| Safe New Futures | Southampton | £5,000 |
| SoCo Music Project | Southampton | £4,838 |
| Southampton Family Trust | Southampton | £3,631 |
| Youth Options | Test Valley | £5,000 |
| MHA Communities Winchester | Winchester | £4,981 |
| Swanmore Voluntary Care Group Lunch Club | Winchester | £1,200 |
| Total: | £200,281 |
