SMALL grants totalling more than £84,000 will make a big impact for grass roots community groups and charities thanks to donors who have supported Dorset Community Foundation’s Neighbourhood Fund.
This is the second round of the fund, which supports groups across Dorset with less than £250,000 revenue, this year. A previous round awarded more than £139,000 to 37 groups.
Among the recipients was Poole Men’s Shed, which will use a £4,000 grant to buy an extra storage container to create space for a second building to be used as a social room and craft workshop at its base in Leareoyd Road. “It will also enable us to provide social activities more days a week as we will not have to hire somewhere as we do now,” said Chair Ian Price.
He said the shed, which provides workshops and materials for men and women, is an important part of its members’ lives. “Men have a tendency to become isolated when they have a life change, such as bereavement or redundancy,” he said. “Men’s Sheds is a concept designed to address this by using access to a workshop as encouragement and our growth in numbers demonstrate their need and value.”
The Crumbs Project in Bournemouth will use a £5,000 grant towards running its hospitality training for people facing adults facing significant barriers to employment, including disabilities, neurodivergence, mental health conditions, addictions and brain injuries.
Fundraiser Millie Capon said the Hibberd Road charity, which this year celebrates its 30th year, is facing rising costs of fresh ingredients for its training kitchen, where learners receive hands-on experience of food preparation, cooking, service, and teamwork.
“This funding will ensure we can continue delivering consistent, high-quality sessions without reducing opportunities or limiting participation,” she said.
This funding will ensure we can continue delivering consistent, high-quality sessions without reducing opportunities or limiting participation
An ageing kitchen at Alderholt Village Hall, near Blandford, can be upgraded thanks to a £3,000 grant to the village hall trust. The kitchen, which supports community groups and fundraising events, no longer meets modern health and safety expectations, said trustee Wendy Hood.
“The project will benefit residents of all ages and backgrounds, ensuring that our village hall is a safe, accessible, and valued part of community life,” she said.
Powered by Youth in Poole was awarded £2,310 towards the cost of youth workers, venue hire, volunteer expenses, refreshments and activity materials. “The grant will support us to deliver monthly youth sessions over a year to neurodivergent young people with autism, ADHD and other neuro-diversities who are struggling with identity and mental health issues, social connections and a purpose in life, “ said founder Poppy Sargeaunt.
Weymouth Skatepark Association will use a £5,000 grant to provide 600 free two hour sessions to disadvantaged young people, 240 two hour sessions to secondary school pupils in Weymouth and Portland at The Front skatepark and buy six stunt scooters.
Skatepark manager Lisa Kille said the charity, which is celebrating its 25th year, encourages young people by offering volunteering opportunities in exchange for free sessions. She said the grant will help the park give young people a sense of sense of belonging, pride and achievement.
“We can keep them in a safe space where we can guide them through difficult teenage years and all of the problems they face within living in a seaside town,” she said.
We can keep them in a safe space where we can guide them through difficult teenage years and all of the problems they face within living in a seaside town
The Hut in Powerstock, near Bridport, has been awarded £2,500 towards its running costs. Secretary Jo Willett said The Hut is a much-needed meeting space for the community, young and old. “Were it to close, this would be lost, to great detriment,” she said. “The activities we hold help improve the lives, particularly of our elderly residents, many of whom live alone.
“The primary school would suffer too, without a space for assemblies, the breakfast club and lunch and after school clubs.”
Read Easy South Dorset, which covers Dorchester, Weymouth, and Portland, will use a £2,700 grant to recruit more volunteer reading coaches. “We need more partly because demand for our service is increasing, and partly because after years of volunteering some coaches leave us,” said Team Leader Christine Voce.
She said one in six people have poor literacy skills and the five extra coaches will help the group get to more of them. “For the extra clients we will be able to help, the outcomes will be an improved ability to read, increased self-esteem, a reduction in anxiety and depression and improved self-confidence,” she said.
“We hope these will lead to an improved chance of entering further education, increased opportunities for employment, and increased social contact.”
Age UK North Dorset was awarded £3,000 towards running costs and the cost of an office and services support worker, which will mean it can increase their offer IT skills help to its older clients.
Chairman Diane Cooper said the funding will help to ensure the group can continue to keep all its services running efficiently and effectively. “We are always looking at the need in the area and assessing what else we can do to support it,” she said. “If we have financial security we can then look at expanding or adding a service. This year we hope to be able to make much more use of our Office and Services Support Workers IT skills by offering more IT support at some of our drop in locations.”
If we have financial security we can then look at expanding or adding a service
Dorset Community Foundation Grants Manager Ellie Maguire said: “Thanks to our donors, these grants will support grass roots community groups delivering services or activities that address a broad range of local social issues, problems, poverty and disadvantage.
“We want to support targeted services that support people with identified needs, effect positive change and bring tangible improvements to quality of life for people in Dorset.”
Find out more about the work of the community foundation at dorsetcommunityfoundation.org.
Full list of grant recipients: First Beaminster Scout Group, Age Concern North Dorset, Alderholt Village Hall Trust, ASCape, Building A Neurodiverse Community CIC, Chaldon Herring Village Hall, Churchill Gardens Community Association, Corfe Mullen Allotment Association, Dorset Menopause Support CIC, I Am Confident, Meredith’s Mission, Poole Gig Rowing Club, Poole Men’s Shed, Powered By Youth, Powerstock Hut, Prime Time Kids Club, Read Easy South Dorset, Ripple Workshop, Stourton Caundle Village Hall, Swanage Action for Refugees, The CRUMBS Project, The Shine Project and Weymouth Skatepark Association.
