We are delighted to share that we’ve supported a further 31 local charities and community groups in the next round of grants awarded from our emergency response funding, totalling £144,917. These grants have been made available to help the county’s most vulnerable people during the Coronavirus pandemic.
The fund has been set up to ensure quick and responsive grant-making for the community and voluntary groups assisting in the relief effort, and we’re proud to announce that the total funding awarded from the Surrey Coronavirus Response Fund to date is over £450,000!
Since launching this urgent appeal a few weeks ago, we have raised £950,000.
This figure includes a recent contribution of £100,000 from Surrey County Council, close to £600,000 contributed by local donors, along with £188,100 allocated to us for distribution in Surrey from the National Emergencies Trust Appeal.
Below are just some examples of how these grants will make a difference to the lives of people in Surrey:
Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice provide critical care to local people. They received a grant for essential running costs to increase their capacity and support additional patients and families at this time. This funding will support the costs for 2 additional beds on their In-Patient Unit in Farnham, additional staffing, housekeeping, maintenance and Personal Protective Equipment.
“We are so grateful to Community Foundation for Surrey who have awarded this generous grant for £5,000 to help us respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. We have been able to reopen all of our beds on our In-Patient Unit, so this money has enabled us to support more people in our local community who need end of life care, which also helps our local NHS hospitals.”
– Sarah Church, Chief Executive of Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice
Foodwise (TLC) Limited were awarded funding for project costs to provide cooked meals to disadvantaged families, older and isolated people in Guildford. The organisation is working with Stoke Community Support and three local schools to operate kitchens at Emmanuel Church and Burpham Church to feed families during these challenging times. The meals are delivered for free and to those most vulnerable in the community.
Transform Housing & Support provide housing and support for homeless, vulnerable and excluded people, that can face challenges such as mental ill-health, disability, a history of offending or substance abuse. They received funding towards personal protective equipment to carry out their service safely to clients. These clients often have no support network other than their Transform key support worker.
The additional 28 grants can be found here:
- Age Concern Epsom and Ewell received funding towards equipment to enable remote working and the recruitment of more volunteers. This grant also supported costs for the charity to extend the opening hours of their service that supports vulnerable older people
- Big Leaf Foundation received funding for their project supporting Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children that will involve interactive accessible activities for young people during the lockdown
- Caleidoscope CIC received funding to provide support online and by phone for children with Special Educational Needs, autism and co-morbid conditions
- Catalyst received funding to support vulnerable local people struggling with addiction
- Caterham and Warlingham Citizens Advice Bureau received funds for mobile phones, phone credit for volunteers and support for essential running costs to support their work assisting disadvantaged people
- Citizens Advice Runnymede and Spelthorne received funding for a new phone system to continue their service supporting vulnerable local people
- Cobham Area Foodbank were awarded funding towards the purchase of food stock for their food bank, to be able to meet the increase in demand for their service at this time
- Dramatize Theatre Company received funding towards salary costs that will support their work producing online content for adults with learning disabilities
- East Elmbridge Foodbank received emergency relief funding to purchase food and other basic supplies
- Eikon received a contribution towards their ongoing work supporting vulnerable young people – Hugely grateful to CFS for coordinating/mobilising/awarding grants so quickly and providing Surrey charities with much needed support. Extremely appreciated by Eikon, thank you.
- Epsom & Ewell Citizens Advice Bureau were awarded funding towards extra salary costs and the cost of ensuring their staff can work from home
- Generation Church were awarded funding towards a foodbank in Epsom and Ewell, supporting vulnerable local people
- Halow Project received funding towards the purchase of equipment to support counselling and learning activities for young people with learning disabilities
- Haslewey (Haslemere & District Community Centre) received support for the staff costs at their community centre providing support to vulnerable people of all ages in Haslemere
- Home-Start Runnymede and Woking received a contribution to essential running costs for their work supporting disadvantaged families
- Jigsaw (South East) received costs to provide remote support to grieving people across Surrey
- Merstham Community Cafe CIC received funding towards subsidising meals for vulnerable local people at this time
- Mid Surrey Community Fridges received funding for essential running costs to continue their work delivering food parcels to disadvantaged and/or isolating people
- North Guildford Food Bank received funding towards the purchase of food stock to meet the increase in demand for the food bank
- Personal Independence Support CIC received funding towards their work supporting children and young people suffering from domestic abuse
- Possibility People received essential running costs for the continuation of their work supporting people with long-term health issues –Thank you CFS for keeping our Get Set Surrey project going so it can carry on doing it’s brilliant work! A participant said: “I am surrounding myself with the positive affirmation exercises daily in this surreal time of isolation. Thank you for your continued support.”
- Reigate & Redhill Live at Home Scheme received a contribution to the costs of continuing to support older people during the pandemic
- St Martins Church Camberley received funding to support local people facing hardship
- St Mary’s Church, Ash Vale received funding towards the purchase of emergency food provisions to distribute to vulnerable people in the community
- Surrey Coalition of Disabled People received funding to purchase electronic tablets for isolated people with disabilities to access community services and support during this time
- Surrey Sands received essential running costs to continue their work supporting grieving parents in Surrey effected by the Coronavirus pandemic
- The Grange Centre for People with Disabilities received funding for equipment for staff to be able to work from home to continue their work supporting people with disabilities
- Woking Age Concern received essential running costs to continue their work supporting isolated older people
We need further support
We are incredibly grateful for all donations that we have received so far, however the needs are huge and growing every day as our community groups continue to respond accordingly.
Our goal is to not just reach more grantees, but to also increase the amount they receive. It is essential that this fund is able to provide repeat funding to the initiatives having the biggest impact for our most vulnerable people.
If you would like to donate to the Fund, you can do so via the secure online Virgin Money Giving page and by direct bank transfer. If you would like to donate via bank transfer, please contact Laura Thurlow on 01483 478086 or email Laura@cfsurrey.org.uk.
If you are interested in applying for Coronavirus Response Funding, we encourage you to read the eligibility guidelines and apply online here. Applications can be made either by filling out a short online form or by selecting a time for a telephone interview with a CFS volunteer. More information on how to do this can be found here.
