New Forest charities and voluntary organisations have been given a boost this month with the awarding of £178,295 worth of grants from the Charles Burnett Memorial Fund by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation.
Charles Burnett lived at Newtown Park Farm, near Lymington and was very well known locally as the land-speed record holder for a steam-powered car and as a philanthropist, supporting a wide range of charitable causes. The Charles Burnett Memorial Fund was established by his friends and family after his sudden death in 2018 to assist charitable projects and resources across the area where he lived.
Lymington-based Hammersley Homes was awarded £15,250 to expand their provision of community outreach support in the New Forest for 18 adults who are suffering from enduring mental ill-health including support for family members.
Louise Hallett, Founder and Chair of Trustees for Hammersley Homes said: “This grant means so much to Hammersley Homes and to the vulnerable people we support, and we are enormously grateful. There is more demand for our outreach programme than we have been able to service, and waiting lists have been growing – this grant means we’ll be able to support more people.”
Honeypot Children’s Charity (pictured above) was awarded £10,000 to help fund its residential respite breaks at Honeypot House in the New Forest and on-going support for 17 young carers from Lymington.
Isobel Shipp, Senior Trusts and Foundations Officer said: “Honeypot aims to build brighter futures for young carers. We know how hard the last two years have been for the children we support, and just how vital it is for them to have a break away from home, interacting with new friends and building the confidence to try new things.
“This funding will help us to give young carers from in and around Lymington the joyful, carefree, and meaningful experiences every child deserves. It is especially wonderful that this funding will go directly back into the area where Charles Burnett lived and worked.”
Rose Road Association (pictured, right), a charity that provides direct care services including respite breaks, community outreach, holiday activities and advice for children and young adults with severe physical disabilities, learning difficulties, and/or autism, was awarded £5,722 from the Fund.
Beth Rogers, Fundraising Manager for Rose Road said: “We are very grateful to the Charles Burnett Memorial Fund for this wonderful grant. At Rose Road we provide daytime and overnight respite, which gives our children and young people the chance to have fun, try new things and spend time with friends, whilst their parents and carers have the opportunity to rest and reset.
“We know that there is huge demand for more support for families based in the New Forest and we are so excited to be able to support more of these children and young people thanks to this grant.”
Jacqui Scott, CEO at HIWCF said: “In his lifetime, Charles supported many worthwhile causes and this significant fund will continue his great charitable legacy, meeting the needs of our communities and providing a lasting memorial in Charles’s name. The New Forest area is well recognised as a unique and special place in Hampshire, but many people don’t realise how significant the pockets of deprivation and need are within the area. We are delighted that this funding will go some way to help many organisations to continue providing their vital services for the local communities across the New Forest.”
The groups that received a grant from the Charles Burnett Memorial Fund include:
| 1st Burley Scouts |
| 1st Copythorne Guide Unit |
| Compass Counselling Service |
| Dementia Friendly Hampshire |
| Family Counselling Trust – Hampshire |
| Hammersley Homes |
| Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology (HWTMA) |
| Handy Trust |
| Home-Start Hampshire |
| Honeypot Children’s Charity |
| Hythe Pier Heritage Association |
| Minstead Trust |
| New Forest Citizens Advice Bureau |
| New Milton Men’s Shed |
| Olivia Inspires |
| Positive Path Foundation |
| Rose Road Association |
| SPUD |
| St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery |
