FUNDING of more than £610,000 is being given to support six local charities by Stratford Town Trust.
The cash will be allocated to each organisation over the next three years by the grant-giving charity dedicated to supporting local people and community projects. Since 2001 the trust has distributed around £2million each year, from large grants to small levels of funding.
Those receiving the latest multi-year funding are:
* The Shakespeare Hospice – has been awarded £150,000 to support its Hospice at Home Service, providing 24-hour advice, care and support for patients with life-limiting illness and their families during the end of life period – within their own homes.
Chief executive Angie Arnold said: “We are really grateful to Stratford Town Trust as without this service patients within our community would have less choice in their preferred place of care and may be admitted to residential homes or hospital, potentially some distance away from their home, family and loved ones.”
* Citizens Advice South Warwickshire – has been given nearly £183,000 to secure the future for the service offering help and advice on a range of issues.
Marketing and development officer Beth Nicholson said: “Knowing that this funding is for three years makes a big difference in the current difficult climate. Just in the Stratford town area we supported more than 1,000 people last year and we are grateful for this grant, which will keep open our main office and our outreach services for the district.”
* ILEAP – a local charity aiming to making the local community a safer place to be for some of its most vulnerable members –
has been granted £54,000.
ILEAP CEO Pete Bazeley said: “The funding will enable the charity to run as a business and become self- sufficient, taking away the year on year stress of running at a shortfall and relying on grants. In future years we hope to be able to launch new projects and services in the knowledge that we have a sustainable model and are able to offer a long-term commitment to our members and their families.”
* VASA will get £105,000 to supports its Community Transport Service.
Manager Kirsty Holder said: “This funding will enable us to extend our opening hours for passengers, use technology for family and friends to book journeys as well as providing additional resources and training for our wonderful volunteers. We are grateful to the trust for their support of this much needed service.”
* The Myton Hospices – which last year supported 1,400 people with life-limiting illness, and their families – has been awarded £60,000.
Margaret McIntosh, Warwick inpatient unit sister, said: “This year alone we have to raise £9.6million to continue providing our services free of charge – this grant will be a great help in ensuring Stratford residents can continue to use Myton’s services. As the only hospice in Coventry and Warwickshire with an inpatient unit it is vital we can be there for as many local people as possible when they need us most.”
* Young People First has also been granted £60,000 – for Sharp Minds: Stratford, a project which supports young people with complex mental health issues by providing a combination of group activities, one-to-one mentoring and counselling.
Youth Worker Alex Walker said: “We have seen an increase across all our work in the numbers of young people with complex emotional problems, including high levels of anxiety, low self-esteem, self-harm and social isolation.
“We’re very thankful to the town trust for allowing us to continue what has been such successful work in Stratford, supporting young people with low emotional well-being to overcome their afflictions.”
Rachel Jones, head of community engagement at the trust, said the grants would help organisations long term.
She added: “We are committed to supporting organisations through our multi-year funding programme, with funding for up to three consecutive years for projects which impact on two or more of our funding priorities and seek to respond to the longer-term needs of communities.
“These grants will do just that – supporting some of our most key local charities and the significant impact their work has on local people. We are proud and committed to supporting each and every one of them.”
Visit www.stratfordtowntrust.co.uk for more information on applying for funding.
