"It’s made people feel less alone”: thousands supported by small grants
Earlier this year 60 local groups were each awarded a share of £885,000 in ‘small grants’ to help them provide food and essential welfare support to residents who are struggling in their areas.
The Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Paul Stuart, said:
Rising living costs continue to impact many local families, many who struggle to make ends meet. Here in Wirral, we target monies from the Household Support Fund (HSF) to be directed to the people in greatest need.
Working alongside our invaluable charity, voluntary and faith sectors, as well as countless local community groups and schools, the HSF delivers well-targeted support. Our partners use their excellent local knowledge, experience and connections to get help to the people they know need it most. The impact has been tremendous.
The Small Grants Programme awarded up to £21,000 to each group and is part of a £3m package of support from the latest round of funding from the HSF. Earlier in September, the Government announced the HSF would be extended to help struggling households with bills and essential costs over winter.
Make It Happen in Birkenhead is just one of the groups to receive funding from the latest round of the HSF Small Grants Programme.
Amy Butterworth, Chief Executive Officer at Make It Happen, said:
We’ve used our grant to provide two meals a week, free to anyone who wishes to have one, all thanks to the Household Support Fund.
I know of one gentleman who takes our meals and freezes them for his 'short week in the month' -we love that he plans ahead. One lady takes two and uses them for her ‘nanny and granddaughter day’ so she has more time playing and making memories. Another lady takes the meal to her neighbour who is elderly and doesn’t have a big appetite anymore, but between them they enjoy a stew and a catch up together.
These stories show the impact of the fund on real people’s lives. Simple meals made with love, then served by our fantastic team, have been the basis of lots of conversations, tips for cooking, talks about spices and heat, reminiscing about old times and being the reason to knock on a neighbour’s door...
How important can a little tub of stew be? Very important we believe. It’s brought people together, it’s helped people through tough times and made people feel less alone.
Information about food and other support available to residents is also posted on the Wirral Infobank website at www.wirralinfobank.co.uk.
The 60 organisations awarded funding to provide food and welfare support through this round of the Small Grants Programme are:
- The Positivitree - £20,000.00
- Gautby Road – Play, Youth & Community Centre - £19,530.00
- Charlotte’s Brightside CLC - £13,801.50
- Equilibrium North West CIC - £20,000.00
- Shaftesbury Youth Club - £16,227.75
- Tomorrow’s Women - £15,540.00
- Core Project Birkenhead CIC - £19,089.00
- D Hub 67 CIC - £18,690.00
- Prenton Tenants and Residents Association - £21,000.00
- Koala North West - £11,550.00
- HYPE MERSEYSIDE - £20,000.00
- Heart4Refugees CIC - £21,000.00
- Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury - £10,390.00
- Number Seven - £21,000.00
- Make It Happen Birkenhead - £18,340.00
- Eastham/ Delamere Community Centre - £17,314.50
- North Birkenhead Development Trust - £19,718.00
- INVOLVE NORTHWEST - £19,687.50
- Seacombe Community Association - £10,500.00
- Our Happy Hub CIC - £21,000.00
- The Oak Community Project at Christ the King Church - £17,800.00
- The Little Centre Beechwood - £21,000.00
- Christ the King RC Church - £5,565.00
- St Vincents Centre Wirral - £9,240.00
- Carrbridge Centre Ltd - £19,950.00
- Ferries Family Groups - £20,000.00
- Bridging the Wallasey Gap - £21,000.00
- Christians Against Poverty Wirral - £2,625.00
- Nightingales Recovery Café CIC - £19,500.00
- Amy and Friends - £10,500.00
- Neo Community - £18,900.00
- Wirral Islamic Cultural Centre & Shahjalal Mosque Ltd - £17,700.00
- Byrne Avenue Trust - £18,010.00
- Develop thru Sport CIC - £7,875.00
- Rek41 CIC - £18,165.00
- Wirral Chinese Association - £13,650.00
- Break The Mould - £21,000.00
- St Marys Church Upton - £4,300.00
- Supporting the Peeps wirral CIC -£10,000.00
- Rock Ferry Salvation Army Community Church - £6,540.00
- Inspire Community Café - £7,465.50
- Vale House Community Centre Ltd - £11,235.00
- Liscard Community Links - £20,000.00
- Wirral Change - £21,000.00
- THE CROWN COMMUNITY HUB - £21,000.00
- WEB Merseyside - £15,750.00
- MEN TOO - £7,140.00
- The local carers network - £20,000.00
- Sandbrook social supermarket - £10,500.00
- Tranmere Rovers in the Community - £20,000.00
- Jubilee Church Wirral - £3,990.00
- Wirral Multicultural Organisation - £6,048.00
- The Meeting Place, Wirral - £15,490.00
- Coats4Kids - £15,225.00
- Food for Families, St Barnabas Church, Bromborough - £14,055.30
- AUGB Liverpool branch - £3,360.00
- Ganneys Meadow Pantry - £9,450.00
- Next Chapter NW CIC - £4,491.90
- Wake Up Wallasey CIC - £13,650.00
- One Wirral CIC - £7,875.00
