ALMOST £1 million has been committed to 42 grass roots groups and charities in the BCP area over the next three years from Dorset Community Foundation’s BCP Crisis and Resilience Fund.
A total of £991,899 from the programme, awarded in a mix of one and three year grants, will help the recipients support people in overcoming poverty and building a better future.
Programme partner BCP Council is using money from the government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund, which has replaced the Household Support Fund. Its focus is on supporting projects that help people struggling with the cost of living and reduce the need for future crisis support.
Among the beneficiaries is Bournemouth Foodbank, which has been awarded £45,000 over three years to run weekly community batch cooking sessions at its kitchen and Garden Rooms Café at St George’s Baptist Church in Haviland Road, Boscombe. Chef Tansy Austin said people on low incomes can develop their kitchen and budgeting skills by working together with surplus food to prepare and dishes they can take home and use over several weeks.
“The project is building something with people rather than just simply delivering food,” she said. “We’re going to facilitate it but we’re going to encourage the people in groups to lead the project themselves.”
She said having the grant for three years means the project can make a real impact. “It gives us the chance to bring people together to cook and build a sense of community,” she said.
The SAMEE Charity in Bournemouth has been awarded £44,880 over three years to deliver an employability skills building project to develop the financial resilience of 30 young people with disabilities in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole who are at the end of their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
COO Wayne Imgram said only 9 per cent of disabled young people across the UK secure employment after their EHCP ends at the age of 25. He said a programme of work placements at the Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth and tailored support will improve confidence as well as employment outcomes.
“Participants will receive training in financial literacy, life skills, budgeting and employability skills, alongside our Steps into Self-employment Level 1 qualification for those without Level 2 qualifications needed for further education or apprenticeships,” he said.
It gives us the chance to bring people together to cook and build a sense of community
Bee Mission will use a £6,000 one-year grant to prepare and deliver meals to people sleeping rough or living in temporary accommodation. The charity works with Grounded Community at Vale Lodge Supported Living in Boscombe, where last year it distributed more than 6,000 meals.
Sharon Brinkman from the charity said as well as the meals, staff and volunteers provide informal advice on housing, health and finances.
Kushti Bok has been awarded a one-year grant of £7,500 to run school holiday family activity days for families from the Gypsy, Roma and traveller communities in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Parents who come along will get advice to help them manage rising living costs and avoid crisis situations such as rent arrears, energy debt, or food insecurity
Chair Betty Smith-Billington said: “Families will benefit from safe, welcoming school holiday sessions where children can take part in engaging activities and receive healthy food, reducing both financial strain and holiday-related stress.”
St Clement’s Church in Boscombe will use a £7,500 one-year grant run a weekly Fun ‘n’ Food club, providing food and activities for children from low income families. Curate Tracey Radvan said: “Parents socialise together or join their children in the activities, building family relationships and community.
“We partner with the Friendly Food Club to teach low-cost cooking skills to the children who cook their lunch on the day. One parent told us that Fun ‘n’ Food was a ‘life-saver’ in terms of both activities and nutritional support.
One parent told us that Fun ‘n’ Food was a ‘life-saver’ in terms of both activities and nutritional support
Cllr Sandra Moore, BCP Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships, said: “Providing multi-year and one-year grants give these groups the confidence and certainty they need to plan services, support more residents and develop stronger partnerships with BCP Council and other local organisations.
“This is not just about helping people through a crisis. It is about making it easier for residents to access the help available, strengthening community networks, building resilience that will have a lasting impact and creating a more joined-up support system across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.”
Full list of recipients:
Three year grants
Access Dorset; Aim Community; BCHA; Bournemouth Community Church; Bournemouth Foodbank; Christchurch Community Partnership; Christchurch Foodbank+ Faith-Works; Citygate Church; Coastline Community Trust; Creative Kids Centre; Friendly Food Club; Grounded Community; Home-Start Wessex; International Care Network; Kinson and West Howe Foodbank; Poole Communities Trust; Poole Community Exchange CIO; Poole Foodbank and Life centre; Poole Waste Not Want Not; Recreate Dorset; Somerford Youth and Community Centre; The Dorset Children’s Foundation; The Power House – Poole; The SAMEE charity; Townsend Youth Partnership and Water Lily Project.
One year grants
Bee Mission 500 CIC; Christchurch Support Kabin; Diverse Abilities; GodFirst; Hope Housing, Training and Support Ltd; Immaculate Conception and St Joseph; Kushti Bok; Parkstone Christadelphian Church; Refugee Support Europe; Safe and Sound Dorset; SMILE; St Clement’s Bournemouth; The Footprints Project; Townsend Community Association; WAFL – WISE ADVICE FOR LIFE and West Howe Community Enterprises.
Pictured: A cookery class at Bournemouth Foodbank, left, a volunteer cooking at Vale Lodge, centre, and the Friendly Food Club are supporting St Clement’s Church in Boscombe’s Fun ‘n’ Food Club
