Reduced Income

8th September 2020

Many organisations have seen significant proportions of their traditional funding streams cancelled during the pandemic and many are experiencing huge un-forecasted and unplanned losses of income.

August 2020

Centres have been closed, fundraising events have been cancelled, donations have dropped due to the impact of personal and global financial circumstances.  Large benefactors have been unable to donate due to financial uncertainty and collecting tins have remained empty in closed pubs and restaurants.

Organisations have reported losses of up to £1,000,000 in their forecasted income this year, whilst the resources of small charities have been decimated by losses in the region of £7,000 (eliminating up to 90% of their income).

A small local organisation that supplies transport for vulnerable people so they can attend medical appointments has reported that their income has dwindled to practically nothing due the Covid-19 crisis.

A Counselling Service has seen a 70% drop in income whilst facing a huge increase demand for their service.

A larger organisation in Surrey advised:

At this time, we are facing a sudden and unexpected financial loss of over £500,000 and do not yet know the long-term financial deficit we can expect to see across this year and facing additional costs to battle Covid-19. In the first quarter alone, we anticipate it will be in excess of £1m, as such we face acute financial hardship. We have taken many measures to help ourselves through this crisis and had to take the difficult decision to place 80% of our staff on furlough and were forced to temporarily close our retail stores, sister charities and services.”

A local advice and support group advised us that the current restrictions mean that they have not been able to hold monthly high street collections which traditionally has been their main source of regular income and generate about £400 per collection. They estimate that some or all of the anticipated £10,000 fundraising income could be lost over the year.  Not only has the group lost a significant amount of its income, it is incurring additional costs as a result of Covid.

Another organisation advised that:

“The financial impact of Coronavirus is potentially huge – we are not anticipating being able to generate income effectively for most of this financial year, and the most recent forecast shows that we are set to have a deficit of £100,000 this year”.

A local charity reported:

“Due to Covid-19 we have lost three income streams for our charity. The combined value of these income streams is £400,000 over a 12-month period”.

Another organisation advised us:

“Current restrictions will have a significant and devastating impact on our budget, which is heavily reliant on an ongoing programme of small community fundraising and a large public event in the autumn. Projections leave us with a deficit of between £40,000-£65,000. Whilst we are fortunate enough to hold heathy reserves to cover some of this; our core service delivery is still at risk, and we desperately need additional funding to ensure we can continue to support vulnerable families in this time of extreme crisis”.

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Increased Demand for Services

Many organisations have seen unprecedented demand for their services – and anticipate this continuing.

August 2020

The National Emergencies Trust reported that one in six UK adults have sought charitable help in recent months as a direct result of the pandemic. For 70% of them it was the first time they had ever sought support from the sector.  One in eight people living in the UK (equivalent to seven million people) expect to seek support from a charity or voluntary body in the next 12 months as a direct result of challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

A group supporting prisoners and their families reported: “calls have increased by 30% since lockdown including a trebling in volume of serious, time intensive safeguarding calls – over the past month there have been a growing number of calls about children’s welfare, self-harm, suicide, bullying, mental health, domestic violence. Families are fearful for their relatives in prison, whom they can no longer visit, particularly where relatives have underlying health issues. They are rapidly having to retrain and redeploy staff to cope with demand.”

Throughout the crisis, food banks and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux across Surrey have seen huge increases for demand, with often up to 3 times as many service users as they would normally experience.  Although some foodbanks are now starting to see a slight decline in demand.

A charity offering support to people with cancer and their carers reported:

“Due to this virus we are now having to provide home visits which has increased our costs three-fold plus. The true costs will only be identified later as we are experiencing a daily increase in demand for our services as people are not going out. We also have the added cost of PPE – without which we cannot continue.

The pandemic has had a huge impact on the charity’s volunteers, some of whom may need counselling, following the deaths of some of their members during the crisis”.

A charity which helps older people reported a daily increase in enquiries of 233% (over 900 in a 2 and a half weeks) from concerned beneficiaries, uncertain and fearful of how they would get shopping and support.

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Domestic abuse

8th June 2020

We have to date awarded £168,811 to support domestic abuse organisations from our Coronavirus Response Funding.

We know that before the pandemic, 3,485 CIN (children in need) assessments in Surrey had domestic abuse identified as a factor in their case assessment.

We also know that the demand for Childline’s counselling sessions increased by nearly 20% in early April, relating to abuse or neglect.

On 17 April, Childline reported “During the past week Childline has delivered 363 counselling sessions where children have experienced physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect – up nearly a fifth from the week before.” [1]

We also know that the demand for Childline’s counselling sessions increased by nearly 20% in early April, relating to abuse or neglect.

The National Domestic Abuse helpline saw a 25% increase in calls and online requests for help in the first couple of weeks after lockdown, according to the charity, Refuge.[2]

Your Sanctuary report a big increase in demand in the weeks after lockdown restrictions were eased. Requests for refuge went up from 30 to 108. Overall calls went from 266 to 455 and calls to a professional went up from 93 to 220.  Charlotte Kneer from Reigate and Banstead Women’s Aid explained that the big jump in cases after lockdown  was expected as for many people it was the first chance people had to escape and make contact.

We already know that 35 women and children so far have been murdered during the start of lockdown to the end of last week and that since lockdown has lifted, Surrey Police has seen a 7% rise in the number of domestic abuse incidents compared to the same period last year and on average will record 28 domestic abuse crimes every day. (Surrey Police, July 2020)

Prior to the pandemic, in 2017, there were an estimated 35,400 adult victims of domestic abuse in Surrey, with 14,363 reports of domestic abuse to Surrey Police. “Consequently, whilst domestic abuse remains prevalent within the county and nationally, sustainable funding of outreach services and refuges within Surrey is essential in ensuring men, women and children receive effective and timely, needs-led
assistance.” [3]

So, reports of domestic abuse are increasing while lockdown continues, and we can also assume that as always there is a huge amount going unreported.

Key issue is the potential increase as coronavirus restrictions continue. According to a recent survey, “Two in five are desperate to escape those they’ve been cooped-up with – 40% think that spending time away from those they’re self-isolating with will have a positive difference on their outlook” (survey conducted online over the weekend 2-3 May by Ipsos Mori).[4]

How our grants are helping:

Reigate and Banstead Women’s Aid, a domestic abuse charity based in Reigate told us:

“The data has shown us that some women and children have already lost their lives and others are in grave danger – they have had little opportunity to escape.

We have women coming to us who have been sleeping rough, sleeping in their cars with children or sent to unsafe hostels and B&B accommodation where they are vulnerable to repeated victimisation. Women who have reached my service in recent weeks have told me about the terror of abuse during the confinement of lockdown.”

We recently awarded a grant of nearly £58,561 to Reigate and Banstead Women’s Aid to open a new Refuge that has the capacity to home 20 women and their families fleeing domestic violence.

Working in partnership with YourSanctuary, Surrey County Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner, we have been able to ensure more support for these families during this critical time.

Below are the grants we have awarded locally to support domestic abuse.

CharityProject DescriptionAmount Awarded
Total£168,810.63
East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services
Funding to upgrade the phone system for a charity to support victims of domestic abuse remotely during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000
Personal Independence Support CICFunding toward an organisation that offer support and advice to children and young people suffering from domestic abuse, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
RASASC Guildford
Funding toward a charity that supports those who have suffered from rape and sexual abuse, based in Guildford, to convert their service from face to face to a work from home and online set up, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Reigate and Banstead Women's AidFunding to cover capital costs of setting up a refuge for people escaping Domestic Violence during the Coronavirus crisis£58,560.63
South West Surrey Domestic Abuse Service
Funding for a Domestic Abuse charity to support children as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic£5,000
Surrey Domestic Abuse Partnership
Funding to assist in meeting the surge in demand for support services for survivors of domestic abuse in Surrey
£87,178
yourSanctuaryContribution towards salary costs for a charity helping victims of domestic abuse during the Coronavirus pandemic£3,072

Source

[1] https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-we-do/news-opinion/childline-lifeline-coronavirus/ (17 April 2020)

[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52157620 (6 April 2020)

[3] Early Intervention to domestic abuse in Surrey, A cost-Benefit analysis – Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Domestic Abuse 2017 Report (September 2017)

[4] https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/6-10-britons-struggle-stay-positive-about-future-could-be-changed-vaccine (7 May 2020)

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Food and essentials

We have to date awarded £228,925 to support people with food and essentials from our Coronavirus Response Funding.

August 2020

Recent surveys suggest that millions of people in the UK are struggling to get the food they need and are falling into debt because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

More than 1.5 million adults in Britain say they cannot obtain enough food. Half of a recent YouGov poll sample of parents on low incomes with children eligible for free school meals said they had not received any substitute meals to keep their children fed.

June 2020

Key issue: People being able to access quality, healthy food & other essentials.

Across the country, there was an unprecedented rise in the number of claims for Universal Credit at the start of the crisis. On 1 April, the Department for Work and Pensions disclosed that around 950,000 new claims had been submitted in the preceding fortnight. This volume of claims is far higher than usual: fortnightly new claims averaged 110,380 in the year ending 9 January 2020, and never exceeded 130,000 during this period.[1]

The British Red Cross alongside the Voluntary and Communities Sector Emergencies Partnership reported that 1.5 million people in the UK have gone at least a day without food since lockdown began.  350,000 children have not had enough to eat and 238,000 have skipped meals because they have ran out of food.

During April 2020, the Trussell Trust has reported an 89% increase in need for food banks compared to the same period last year, with a staggering 107% increase in emergency food parcels for children and 95% increase in food parcels given to families with children. (UK food banks report busiest month ever, as coalition urgently calls for funding to get money into people’s pockets quickly during pandemic – The Trussell Trust) 48% of the increase in emergency food distributed from food banks is due to people reporting a fall in income from work or benefits. 11% is because of sickness. [2]

Food banks in the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) report a 175% increase in need for the same period.

Local Surrey food banks have also seen a sharp rise in demand.

East Elmbridge Food Bank says demand is almost 3 times higher than this time last year, as well as donations being lower as previous donors face concerns about feeding their own families and stock levels on shelves.

Foodbanks in other areas such as North Guildford and Caterham have also reported similar increases in demand, while the Manna Food Bank in Spelthorne is anticipating needing to send out over 2 tonnes in essential items every week.

How our grants are helping:

Mid Surrey Community Fridges distribute food to low income, elderly, vulnerable people and keyworkers. The food comes from the main supermarkets and other donations.  They have been overwhelmed with the generosity shown during the crisis and have seen a massive and unprecedented increase in available food.  “We don’t have enough capacity as it stands to take on all the food we are now being offered – this is a good place for us to be – in some ways.” The charity has gone from delivering 1.25 tonnes to 3.25 tonnes of donations per week.

Below are the grants we have awarded locally to support people with food and essentials.

CharityProject DescriptionAmount Awarded
Total£228,925
Brightwells Gostrey Centre
Funding toward an organisation that offers a delivery meal service to the elderly and isolated in the Farnham area, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Brockham Emergency Response Team (BERT)
Funding towards the final steps of setting up a Food Aid and Shopping/Prescription Delivery Service in a rural area, with many older and vulnerable people, as a result of Covid-19£5,000
Camberley Nepali (G) SocietyFunding to support the older Nepalese Society in Camberley during the Coronavirus pandemic£3,000
Caterham Foodbank
Funding toward the increase in demand for a foodbank service that is based in Caterham, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Chatterbus
Funding toward PPE and and safety screen, for a community bus service, provided by an organisation based in Elmbridge, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
£1,000
Cobham Area Foodbank
Funding toward the purchase of food stock for a food bank, based in Cobham, to be able to meet the increase in demand for their service, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Coronavirus Aid Chelsham, Farleigh and WarlinghamFunding for a voluntary group helping to support vulnerable people during the Coronavirus crisis£5,000
Emmaus Transformation Trust - JigsawFunding toward the purchase of supplies for their clients, by a charity, based in Woking, that offers school items to children living in poverty, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Farnham Maltings Association Limited
Funding toward a helpline and meals-on-wheels delivery services available in Farnham, during the COVID-19 pandemic£4,000
Foodwise (TLC) Limited
Project costs to provide cooked meals to disadvantaged families, elderly and isolated people in Guildford during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000
Foodwise (TLC) Limited
Support for a food service focused on Universal Credit response
£5,000
Foodwise (TLC) Limited
Funding toward a charity, based in Guildford, that will produce and deliver meals to the vulnerable, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
£10,000
Foodwise (TLC) Limited
Funding toward a charity, based in Guildford, that will produce and deliver meals to the vulnerable, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
£20,000
Friends of the ElderlyFunding toward the purchase of equipment to enable a nationwide organisation, working in Woking, to help keep government recommendations whilst shopping for the isolated and elderly, during the Covid-19 pandemic£2,234
Generation Church
Funding towards a foodbank in Epsom and Ewell during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000
Global Grooves Foundation
Funding for goods and groceries for 22 families in Woking during the Coronavirus pandemic
£4935
Godalming Town Council
Funding toward the essential running costs of a Community Store based in Godalming during the COVID-19 Pandemic
£238
Hale Community Centre - Community Cupboard
Funding toward establishment of a Community Cupboard to compliment foodbank provision in a community struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic
£5,697
Home-Start Epsom, Ewell & Banstead
Funding for a charity supporting vulnerable families during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000
KidsOut
Funding toward the purchase of food vouchers for women in refuge in Surrey during the Covid-19 pandemic£925
Manna Foodbank (St Mary's and St Peter's)Funding toward the essential running costs of a food bank based in Spelthorne, during the Covid-19 pandemic£4,000
Manna Foodbank (St Mary's and St Peter's)Funding for a foodbank helping disadvantaged people in Spelthorne during the Coronavirus outbreak
£5,000
Merstham Community Cafe CIC
Funding toward subsidising meals for the vulnerable, by an organisation based in Merstham, during the COVID-19 pandemic
£5,000
Mid Surrey Community Fridges
Running costs for a Community Fridge delivering food parcels to disadvantaged and/or isolating people amid the Coronavirus pandemic
£4,851
New Life Church, Woking
Funding toward the purchasing for emergency supplies for a foodbank, based in Woking, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
New Life Church, Woking
Funding toward the purchase of emergency supplies for a foodbank, based in Woking, serving people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic .
£5,000
North Guildford Food Bank
Funding toward the purchase of food stock to enable a food bank, based in Guildford, to be able to meet the increase in demand for their service, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Peterson's Fund For Children
Funding toward food shopping of specific items for a charity, based in Elmbridge, that offers therapy for children with cystic fibrosis and respite for their families, during the Covid-19 pandemic£5,000
Reigate & Banstead Borough African and Caribbean Community Association
Funding to support African and Caribbean communities suffering disadvantage amid the Coronavirus pandemic
£3,060
Renewed Hope Trust
Funding for the compiling and distribution of food parcels to vulnerable people during the Covid-19 crisis
£7,065
Runnymede Foodbank - Community Life Trust
Funding for a food bank supporting disadvantaged people amid the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
Sebastian's Action Trust
Funding to provide food/essential supplies, and activity bags to vulnerable families who have children with a life-limiting or life-threatening illness, in Surrey Heath and Guildford, during the Coronavirus pandemic
5000
Something To Look Forward To
Funding to provide essential items including bedding, toiletries and clothing for people affected by cancer who are experiencing financial hardship during and in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic
5000
Southwark Diocesan Welcare
Funding toward the cost of food vouchers for an organisation working in South London and East Surrey offering support to vulnerable families with children up to the age of 13, during the Covid-19 pandemic£2,000
St Marks Community Centre
Funding for a foodbank to support disadvantaged people during the Coronavirus pandemic£2,000
St Martins Church Camberley
Funding to support disadvantaged people in Camberley facing hardship during the Covid-19 outbreak£5,000
St Mary's Church, Ash Vale
Funding toward the purchase of emergency food provisions, by an organisation, based in Ash Vale, that will deliver these provisions to the vulnerable in the community, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
St Peter’s Church West Molesey - East Elmbridge Foodbank
Emergency relief response to Coronavirus. Purchasing food and other basic supplies and food vouchers to supply food to those with no money to buy food£5,000
Stanwell Events
Delivery costs to provide 200+ cooked meals per day to vulnerable people during the Covid-19 crisis
£5,000
Stanwell Food Bank
Essential running costs for a foodbank serving Stanwell
£5,000
Stanwell Food Bank
Funding toward the essential running costs of a foodbank, situated in Stanwell, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
£16,000
Stanwell Village Hall
Funding to enable a village hall to host a food bank cooking meals for vulnerable members of the community during the Coronavirus pandemic
5000
Taylor Made Dreams
Funding toward food and hygiene parcels for families who have a child suffering from a life-limiting illness, by a charity based in East Sussex, during the Covid-19 pandemic£1,920
The Counselling Partnership
Hardware and software costs to move to remote working for a charity supporting people with mental ill-health during the Coronavirus outbreak
£5,000
The Vine Day Centre
Funding toward the purchasing of new telephones and a cook and delivery service for those that are vulnerable by a charity, based in Aldershot, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000

Source

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Isolated older people

We have to date awarded £126,026 to support isolated older people from our Coronavirus Response Funding.

Compared with the national average (12.3% of the population being aged 65 or over), Surrey has some of the highest proportions of older people living among its population in the country. The figure is as high as 37.2% (i.e. 3 times the national average) in one part of Waverley.

Looking at those aged 90 and over, almost all neighbourhoods across the county lie above the national average.

In other words, we have many more people in this age group in Surrey than elsewhere.

We also have some of the highest levels in the country of lone-person households aged 65+. Waverley has the highest number of lone-person households over 65, with over 7,000 households, closely followed by Elmbridge (6,743) and Reigate & Banstead (6,723).

Loneliness and isolation is a key issue.

Research shows that loneliness is associated with poorer physical and mental health and lower wellbeing amongst older people.[1]

How our grants are helping:

Surrey Heath Age Concern recently told us that their clients “feel scared, worried they are going to run out of food, lonely and some really depressed.” The charity is phoning elderly clients “every couple of days to make sure they are okay, have enough food /drink and if there is anything they need”. The charity is finding that these regular chats make even the most vulnerable people feel cared for and happier.
“We are busier than ever and need to know we are financially stable; this grant will help taking some of the pressures off”.

Haslewey Community Centre is providing daily meals for 85 elderly people who would otherwise be completely isolated. The area is semi-rural and so careful attention is required to deliver meals at the correct temperature. Staff are producing food, incorporating dietary requirements/allergies, and keeping vulnerable older people fed in a safe, hygienic way.

Below are the grants we have awarded locally to support isolated older people.

CharityProject DescriptionAmount Awarded
Total£126,026
Action for Carers (Surrey)Funding to cover the cost of IT equipment to allow staff to work from home, to continue to support carers across Surrey during the Covid-19 outbreak£3,700
Age Concern Epsom and EwellFunding toward equipment for home work, recruiting more volunteers and the cost of extending the opening hours of a service, which helps the elderly in Epsom and Ewell, during the COVID-19 pandemic.£5,000
Age Concern Epsom and Ewell
Contribution to additional staffing costs of extended opening hours for the advice and information helpline supporting older people during the COVID-19 pandemic
£5,500
Age Concern Merstham, Redhill & ReigateA contribution to running costs for a charity supporting isolated older people in Reigate and Banstead during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000
Age Concern Mole ValleyRunning costs for a Telephone Befriending Service for older people in Mole Valley who are isolating during the Covid-19 outbreak
£5,000
Age Concern Mole Valley
A contribution to salary costs for a charity supporting older, isolated people, throughout the Coronavirus pandemic and beyond
£15,000
Byfleet Community Action (Byfleet Care)Funding toward the salary cost of a Volunteer Coordinator, for an organisation, based in Byfleet, that offers transport to medical appointments and a delivery service of shopping for isolated elderly people, during the Covid-19 pandemic
£2,000
Fairlands, Liddington Hall, and Gravetts Lane Community AssociationFunding to produce information and activity packs to isolated older people during the Coronavirus pandemic£1,500
Farncombe Day Centre LtdEquipment costs for a 'Meals on Wheels' service catering for sheltered older people during the Coronavirus pandemic£1,888
Farncombe Day Centre Ltd
Funding toward the provision of Safety screens, PPE for volunteers, Infra-Red thermometer, cleaning and sanitising equipment to allow the provision of meal at the centre and disposable packaging for the continuation of the meals-on-wheels service.
£4,502
Haslewey (Haslemere & District Community Centre)Costs of delivering meals to isolated older people in Haslemere£5,000
Haslewey (Haslemere & District Community Centre)
Funding to support a Community Centre who support older people amid the Coronavirus pandemic
£20,000
Intergenerational Music Making, CICIG project to bring connection and joy to isolated older people during the Covid-19 crisis£1,500
It's Not Your Birthday But CIC
Funding to provide creative activity packs and the opportunity to sit for a socially distanced portrait and be interviewed for a biography, for isolated older people during the Coronavirus pandemic
£4,980
MHA Reigate & Redhill Live at Home SchemeA contribution to the costs of continuing to support older people in Reigate ad Redhill during the Coronavirus pandemic£4,738
Painshill Park Trust Limited.
Funding to provide a safe space for older isolated people, and older volunteers to return to duties following the COVID-19 lockdown
£4,988
Painting our World in Silver
Funding toward the purchasing of art and craft packages, for an organisation, based in Weybridge, that help the isolated and elderly, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
£4,000
Phyllis Tuckwell HospiceCore costs to increase capacity and support of vulnerable and critical care people during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000
Re-engageFunding towards the essential running costs of an organisation, that offers a befriending service to people aged 75 or older, during the Covid-19 pandemic
£5,000
Smart Cranleigh CIC
Costs of an online emotional support helpline and a weekly newspaper for older people in the community
£2,361
Surrey Heath Age ConcernCore costs for a charity tackling the impact of isolation of older people during the Coronavirus pandemic£4,875
Surrey Minority Ethnic ForumFunding toward the salary cost of an employee, to offer a befriending service, for an organisation, based in Woking, that brings together people from the same nationality that do not speak English, during the Covid-19 pandemic£4,994
Westway Community and Well Being CentreFunding toward the expenses incurred by a charity, based in Tandridge, which allowed them to run an outreach hub, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Woking Age ConcernCore costs for a charity supporting isolated older people in Woking during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000

Source

[1] “Loneliness is associated with depression, sleep problems, impaired cognitive health, heightened vascular resistance, hypertension, psychological stress and mental health problems” (https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/loneliness/) with depression and physical activity cited as two of the key risk factors for the development of Alzheimer’s (Annual Public Health Report ‘The Health & Wellbeing of Older People in Surrey’ 2018).

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People with mental health needs

We have to date awarded £289,423 to support people with mental health needs from our Coronavirus Response Funding.

One in four people experience a mental health problem in any given year. This equates to 297,500 people among the 1.19 million population of Surrey.

The Mental Health Foundation also estimate that 1 in 10 children and young people have poor mental health – an estimated 14,500 individuals between the ages of 5 and 15 in Surrey.

The experience of living through the Coronavirus pandemic has been deeply challenging for those experiencing mental health challenges.

How our grants are helping:

Oakleaf Enterprise, a mental health charity based in Guildford told us:

“All Oakleaf clients already suffered mental illness before this crisis arose. Most live very isolated lives as a result of their mental ill-health, cut-off from family and friends and dependent on Oakleaf for social contact and focus. Their lives are already hugely challenged.

In the current circumstances, we have seen that our clients are relying on whatever support Oakleaf can give. Within 2 minutes of a text being sent out to clients earlier this week, 20 replies were received from clients needing urgent support to help to prevent worsening mental health. We are currently providing some level of support to over 300 clients.”

In addition to those who were already experiencing mental ill-health prior to the pandemic, charities, including Surrey Care Trust, anticipate that “Coronavirus will have sweeping and long lasting effects on Surrey’s most vulnerable communities” – including, via unemployment, loss of or reduced income; increased stress, (especially as people struggle to source or finance basic supplies); and in the deterioration of adult and child mental health, including anxiety, depression and self-harm.

A survey in the last week of March – when we launched our Coronavirus Response Fund – reported that 21% of respondents were concerned about isolation and 20% about mental illness. Concerns about having negative feelings were reported by 13% of the respondents.[1]

A more recent survey (conducted in the first week of May), reported 58% of the population were finding it harder to stay positive about the future compared with before the outbreak.[2] The variation is stark – 13% of respondents to the first survey were concerned about having negative feelings but five weeks later, the second survey reports 58% were struggling.

Key issue: We know that early intervention is crucial for the effective and long-term treatment of developing mental health issues. In lockdown, people are suffering from isolation, worry and confusion, without access to usual support networks (friends, family, leisure activities etc) and not accessing treatment when needed. Helplines are seeing increased numbers of callers with suicidal thoughts and the concern is that even once lockdown is over, lack of treatment at this early stage will mean that many more people will continue to suffer mental illness.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists have warned that there could be a “tsunami of mental health problems that only arise after lockdown is over.” A survey of 1,369 psychiatrists between 1-6 May, found 45 per cent had seen a reduction in routine appointment attendance since 23 March, leading to fears that patients were avoiding support until they reach crisis point.

In addition nearly half (43 per cent) of psychiatrists had seen an increase in urgent and emergency caseloads where patients are showing the most serious conditions.”[3]

This is a long-term crisis. The repercussions from this pandemic will be felt across the county for some time to come. 

Bereavement services are particularly likely to be affected during the crisis. There is a much bigger rise in deaths than normally expected so there are many more bereaved people needing help. Many people are finding that bereavement is particularly traumatic during the pandemic. Losing their loved ones whilst experiencing social isolation means people are often unable to say their final goodbyes or seek comfort and hugs from their own parents, siblings and children if they happen to live in different households.

Cruse Bereavement Care in the South West Surrey area have set up additional phonelines to offer support, assistance, and advice to locally bereaved people.  They anticipate that there will be a further 200 bereavements/deaths locally as a result of the Coronavirus.  The charity has recruited and trained extra volunteers to help people cope with the bereavement of a loved one.

Below are the grants we have awarded locally to support people with mental health needs.

CharityProject DescriptionAmount Awarded
Total£289,423
40 Degreez Centre
Essential Running Costs for a charity providing youth work to support vulnerable young people in Farnham.
£22,225
Belong: Making Justice Happen
Funding to provide settlements information and basic needs packs for prisoners released from Coldingley Prison, and packs for remaining prisoners to cope with emotional stress caused by restrictions due to Coronavirus (no visitors, reduced activities)
£3,000
Catalyst
Funding to support vulnerable people struggling with addiction in Surrey during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
Change of Scene
Essential running costs to enable an alternative educational provider to offer additional sessions to vulnerable young people
£10,034
Connect Counselling Service
Funding to maintain one-to-one counselling for clients struggling with emotional and relationship difficulties as face-to-face sessions are replaced by remote services during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000
Creative Response Arts
Funding to provide art-based therapy to people suffering from mental health concerns alongside other disabilities, during the Coronavirus pandemic

£4,950
CREST
Funding for home visits, PPE equipment and other costs due to need to change delivery model in supporting members and carers
£2,300
Cruse Bereavement Care South West Surrey AreaFunding toward the essential running costs of a bereavement charity, based in Milford, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
East to WestSalary costs to help a charity support young people who are suffering during the Covid-19 crisis, using new practises£5,000
East to West
Salary costs for 2 new roles to expand the services of a charity providing youth work for vulnerable young people
£9,319
EikonContribution to a Surrey charity supporting vulnerable young people during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
EikonFunding towards increasing the capacity of 8 charities to provide support for Young People's mental Health in Surrey.
£50,000
Emerge Advocacy CIO
Providing supporting to vulnerable young people suffering with mental ill-health exacerbated by the Covid-19 outbreak£5,000
Emerge Advocacy CIO
Essential running costs to expand provision of support to young people at risk of suicide
£25,000
Guildford Shakespeare CompanyFunding toward the purchase of equipment and resource, for a theatre company based in Guildford, to offer an online course to those who suffer with mental health issues, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Hale Community Centre

Funding for a community store of items to borrow or swap during the coronavirus crisis
£3,753
Hersham Youth Trust
Funding toward the essential running costs of an organisation, based in Hersham, that runs youth clubs for the local young people, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
£5,000
Holy Trinity Church Claygate -The Well Youth Drop-In
Funding is requested for video and IT equipment, digital subscriptions and project costs to enable outreach youth work to continue for a local church
£3,350
I'm all earsFunding to provide 190 hours of free counselling to people in Waverley who are struggling during the Coronavirus pandemic£4,750
Imago Dei Prison Ministry
Funding to support isolated women in prisons, supporting their mental health, amid the Coronavirus pandemic
£2,684
Jigsaw (South East)
Costs to providing remote support to grieving people across Surrey during the Coronavirus Pandemic
£5,000
ManandBoy
Funding to provide a remote programme for vulnerable boys aged 9 - 12 with weekly contact with support workers and posted practical activities
£3,500
Mary Frances Trust
Funding for additional IT equipment to expand support services to people suffering from mental ill-health and isolation across Surrey amid the Coronavirus crisis£4,313
Matrix Trust
Funding toward the delivery in amended services and essential running costs for a youth work charity, based in Guildford, during the COVID-19 pandemic£4,500
Momentum
Funding to provide remote counselling to vulnerable families during the Coronavirus pandemic
£4,988
Oakleaf Enterprise
Delivery costs to support people with mental health problems during the Covid-19 crisis, using new remote methods
£5,000
Oakleaf Enterprise
Funding towards the Client Service Outreacher Worker supporting people experiencing mental ill-health and isolation during the COVID-19 lockdown
£5,000
Outline
IT equipment and running costs for a charity supporting LGBT+ people suffering during isolation during the Coronavirus pandemic
£3,000
Possability People
Core costs for a charity supporting people with long-term health issues during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
Prison Advice & Care Trust (Pact)
Funding to provide support to the children and families of prisoners during the coronavirus crisis£5,000
Samaritans East Surrey
Funding for IT and cleaning equipment, and some core costs, for a Samaritan Service to support disadvantaged people amid the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
SeeAbility
Funding for an Advice Line for Carers of people with learning disabilities, autism and sight loss to provide support during the Coronavirus pandemic
£3,000
SHIFA
Funding to support Asian women via online sessions during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
Surrey Care Trust
Funding to upgrade and implement a number of remote working practices to enable support to be given to vulnerable people across Surrey, facing an array of issues during the Covid-19 outbreak
£4,990
Surrey Care Trust
Funding for COVID-19 Support Groups, helps those who have suffered the effects of COVID-19, or are bereaved
£19,227
Surrey Drug and Alcohol Care
Funding towards Telephone Counselling Service for people suffering from mental-ill health during the Covid-19 outbreak
£5,000
Surrey Sands
Costs towards a charity supporting grieving parents in Surrey effected by the Coronavirus pandemic
£1,540
The Brigitte Trust
Costs towards a Telephone Befriending Service addressing loneliness and isolation during the Coronavirus outbreak
£5,000
The Lightbox
Costs to deliver arts-based support to existing elderly, isolated and vulnerable clients during the Coronavirus pandemic
£4,000
The Lucy Rayner Foundation
Funding to provide free counselling for those struggling during the Covid-19 outbreak
£5,000
Woking MIND
To fund the purchase of equipment to offer remote support to people suffering from mental ill-health during the Covid-19 outbreak
£5,000

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People with disabilities

We have to date awarded £328,572 to support people with disabilities from our Coronavirus Response Funding.

August 2020

People with Learning Disabilities

There is a huge contrast in Covid-19 mortality rates between people with disabilities and those without disabilities. It is 2.4 times greater for females and 1.9 times greater for males (Office for National Statistics, 19.06.2020). Care Quality Commission data shows that a disproportionate number of people with learning disabilities have died as a result of Covid-19.

People with learning disabilities also face extreme levels of social isolation and loneliness; they are seven times more likely to feel lonely than the general population – and the coronavirus crisis is exacerbating this. The closure of day services, loss of routine, difficulties staying in touch with family and keeping active means that they are struggling to cope.

One local organisation told us:

We have witnessed a deterioration in the mental well-being of people with learning disabilities in our community. We have experienced two overdoses and the mortality of five members. These incidences also impact on the wider group and increase the likelihood of depression. The physical challenges and concerns of the virus has greatly affected those with learning disabilities and OCD, increasing anxieties around going out, being with people and having people in their environment.

Despite lockdown being lifted, the world will continue to be an extremely challenging place for people with learning disabilities. Those who were independent prior to the pandemic will find the new rules and restrictions bewildering and as a result risk losing their independence. Many will need support to acclimatise to the new adjustments such as one-way systems and directions in shops, the new requirements on public transport and understanding of social distancing – to name a few. The need for ongoing accessible information in the forthcoming year of changes is vital.

 

People with Hearing Impairments

A local charity that supports people with vision and hearing impairments reported that the Deaf community were struggling to understand the information provided by the Government. There was no BSL interpreter at Government briefings until the end of April 2020 (6 weeks into lockdown) and some people with hearing impairments are still finding it hard to obtain information.

As masks are becoming worn more frequently in day to day situations, profoundly deaf people who rely on lip-reading are finding it harder to communicate and understand in certain situations.

June 2020

Charities who help people with disabilities have had considerable challenges in adapting their services to meet the complex, unique needs of their service users during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Many people with disabilities have been told that they are highly vulnerable to Coronavirus and must self-isolate. This means they can no longer visit the support group or charity that has helped them prior to the pandemic.

Charities who support people with additional needs know that they have to cease contact and outreach with their clients, which will create crisis, illness and family breakdown.

Our grant-making:

The Rainbow Trust provides vital support to families who are caring for a terminally ill child, through a trained Family Support Worker:

“The families we support are already facing the unimaginable thought that their child might die before them. They now find themselves isolated due to the high risk of infection.”

“We will continue to provide support to 125 families, providing practical support such as helping to get  groceries and medications for families whilst they are in isolation, and proving emotional support to parents either via the phone, or online to help them to cope with this horrendous situation and the fear and uncertainty that their child might worsen as a result of the virus.”

White Lodge Centre in Chertsey told us how they needed to adapt their services in order to meet the needs of their clients:

“Clients have specific home exercise programmes and in the weeks leading up to us being closed, we gave extra advice and videoed some of the sessions on their phones so that they could follow them. We have lent out resistance bands and weights so they can exercise independently. We have placed 6 special bikes and standing frames in people’s homes to continue their programmes.

“We will be running an advice service for people with long term neurological physical conditions (e.g. Parkinsons, MS, strokes). This will consist of one of our Lead Specialist Physiotherapists working from home remotely…She will offer telephone advice to keep in contact with our clients to keep them motivated and sticking to their exercise plan, managing anxiety levels…and also video consultations to carers/families and individuals.” 

The Sunnybank Trust in Epsom said:

“We want to ensure no one with learning disabilities is left isolated during the Covid-19 crisis.

Our action plan includes a twice weekly radio station for people with learning disabilities, weekly activity packs to all those we support, weekly phone calls from our volunteers – both to care homes and individuals, continued advocacy support via phone to those who need it, regular Zoom coffee and chat/activity groups, weekly drama group via Zoom and using our social media to link the activities”.

The Meath Epilepsy Charity has told us many of their clients “have learning disabilities (from mild to severe) and 40% have Autism and will have difficulty in understanding what is happening and why. We do not want to upset or distress our residents in any way but we want to keep them safe, stimulated and distracted from all the change going on around them…keep[ing] their mobility and cognitive abilities as agile as possible.”

Below are the grants we have awarded locally to support people with disabilities.

CharityProject DescriptionAmount Awarded
Total£328,572
Active Prospects
Funding for equipment and activities to support the physical and mental wellbeing of people with learning disabilities, autism or acquired brain injury
£5,000
Active Prospects
Equipment, IT licences and activity packs to address isolation for people with learning disabilities, autism or mental health issues and sensory resources to address emotional ill-health£5,000
Bloomin' Arts
Funding toward the essential running costs of a charity, based in East Surrey, that supports adults with learning difficulties, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Caleidoscope CIC
Funding to provide support online and by phone for children with SEN, autism and co-morbid conditions during the Coronavirus pandemic
£3,560
Cancer Testing South
Funding toward PPE for an organisation that provides testing and support for men who may have prostate cancer.
£2,000
Care Ashore
Funding to purchase a range of new/replacement equipment and volunteer costs to provide activities for 47 retired seaman who now find themselves isolated in their care home
£1,400
Challengers
IT costs for a charity supporting disabled children and young people during the Coronavirus pandemic
£4,173
Cherry Trees
Funding towards the essential running costs of a children's charity offering respite care to the parents of children with severe and complex needs, during the COVID-19 pandemic
£5,000
Cherry Trees
Funding toward the essential running costs of a charity that offers respite for families with children that have multiple disabilities, during the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
£25,000
Dame Vera Lynn Children's CharityFunding towards the essential running costs, IT costs and education technology for an organisation, based in West Sussex, that supports families with children aged 5 and under, that have cerebral palsy, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
£3,120
Disability Arts in Surrey
Funding toward project costs for an organisation, that allow disabled people to get into the arts, to enable them to offer an online support package to their community, during the Covid-19 pandemic
£3,864
Disability Initiative
Funding toward delivering an outreach approach by an organisation that works with people that have severe disabilities, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Dramatize Theatre Company
Funding toward salary costs that will allow a drama charity, based in Sunbury-on-Thames, to produce online content for adults with learning disabilities, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Dramatize Theatre Company
Funding toward purchasing tablets for learning disabled students and salary costs of a facilitator, for a drama charity, based in Sunbury-on-Thames, during the recovery of the Covid-19 pandemic.
£8,170
Dyscover Limited
Funding toward online classes for people who have survived strokes, led by a Speech and Language Therapist by a charity based in Cranleigh, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Freewheelers Theatre and Media LtdFunding toward the designing and developing of free online courses for individuals and groups of people within the Mole Valley and Elmbridge area, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Halow Project
Funding toward the purchase of equipment for an organisation, based in Guildford, that offers counselling and learning activities to those with learning disabilities, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Halow Project
Funding for workshop sessions to support vulnerable people with learning disabilities following the Coronavirus pandemic
£25,000
Headway Surrey
Providing hardware/software and internet access to people with brain-injuries during the Covid-19 outbreak
£2,998
LinkAble Woking Ltd
To fund support of children and adults with learning disabilities during the Covid-19 crisis
£5,000
Mustard Seed Autism Trust
Funding for a charity supporting children with autism during the Coronavirus pandemic
£4,449
Parity For Disability
Staff costs towards a charity supporting profoundly disabled adults during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
Peer Productions
Funding toward online classes to teach young females with learning disabilities about online safety, by an organisation that puts on meaningful productions in schools across Surrey, during the COVID-19 pandemic£4,770
Queen Elizabeth's Foundation for Disabled People (QEF)Funding towards the additional costs incurred by acquiring PPE for those providing care for adults and children with disabilities during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
Rainbow Trust Children's Charity
Salary costs for 3 months for a Family Support Worker, supporting families with terminally-ill children during the Covid-19 crisis
£4,750
Samson Centre for Multiple Sclerosis
Online physiotherapy for sufferers of MS, during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
Sight for Surrey
IT and phones costs to support people with sight and hearing loss, during the Coronavirus pandemic
£4,600
Sight for Surrey
Funding to support existing and expanding services of a charity helping people with sight and hearing difficulties
£18,696
Stopgap Dance Company Ltd
Funding toward the salary of 4 free lance dance teachers, for an organisation, based in Waverley that brings together children with physical disabilities and helps them to learn to dance, during the COVID-19 pandemic
£4,000
Surrey Choices Employability
Funding for IT equipment to help tackle isolation for people with learning disabilities amid the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
Surrey Coalition of Disabled People
Purchase of 50 tablets for disabled isolated people to access community services and support during the Covid-19 pandemic£5,000
Synergy Dance Outreach
Funding to create remote dance and yoga sessions for Visually Impaired people during the Coronavirus pandemic
£3,739
Synergy Dance Outreach
Funding to provide remote exercise and yoga for disabled and older people during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,988
TALK
Funding to provide a remote support service, including activity packs and telephone support to people who have been affected by a stroke and have aphasia, during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
The Artventure Trust Ltd
A contribution to the salary costs of a charity offering arts-based activities for isolated disabled people during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
The Children's Trust
Funding for PPE and cleaning costs at charity centre caring for vulnerable children during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
The Grange Centre for People with Disabilities
Funding toward the purchase of equipment for staff to be able to work from home for a charity that supports those with disabilities, during the COVID-19 pandemic£3,999
The Include Project
Funding to deliver the choir and advice services online for people with learning disabilities, autism, dementia and brain injury, stroke or tumour, in Reigate and Banstead, during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
The Meath Epilepsy Trust
Funding toward the purchase of separate changing facilities for staff, for a residential care home, based in Godalming, that supports people with severe epilepsy, during the Covid-19 pandemic£5,000
The Meath Epilepsy TrustFunding toward the purchase of equipment to keep residents' mobility and cognitive conditioning up, whilst being able to entertain their residents, for a charity that works with people who have complex epilepsy and severe physical and learning difficulties, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
The Meath Epilepsy Trust
Funding for a Fitness Instructor to work disabled people with complex needs amid the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
The Meath Epilepsy Trust
Funding toward the costs of enabling a charity, that works with people who have complex epilepsy and severe physical and learning difficulties, to fully open their facilities in Godalming, during the early stages of recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
£25,000
The Orpheus Centre Trust
Core cost support for centre supporting young disabled adults during the Covid-19 crisis£5,000
The Sunnybank Trust
Funding toward activity packs and a radio show for an organisation, based in North East Surrey, that supports adults with learning disabilities, during the COVID-19 pandemic£3,628
The Sunnybank Trust
Funding for a radio project to support people with learning disabilities during the Coronavirus pandemic
£21,119
The Woodlarks Centre
Funding toward the purchase of equipment and physiotherapy sessions, for an organisation, based in Waverley, that houses those with learning disabilities, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
£5,000
Waverley Hoppa Community TransportFunding for 3 months of PPE for a transport charity supporting elderly, disabled and/or vulnerable people during the COVID19 pandemic£5,000
White Lodge Centre
Funding toward a remote physiotherapy service for individuals who suffer with long-term neurological and physical conditions, during the COVID-19 pandemic£5,000
Woking Strokeability
Funding toward online exercise classes, by an organisation, based in Woking, that helps rehabilitate people that have suffered from strokes, during the COVID-19 pandemic
£1,300
Yateley Industries For The Disabled
Funding towards equipment to protect people with disabilities during the Coronavirus pandemic
£1,250
YMCA East Surrey
Funding to produce and deliver specialised online exercise programmes for people with long term health conditions or disabilities isolating during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000
Young Epilepsy
Funding for 10 laptops to enable staff to work with young people and their families remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic
£3,500
Young Epilepsy - Laptops
Funding for 10 laptops to enable staff to work with young people and their families remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic
£3,500

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Families with young children

4th June 2020

We have to date awarded £54,620 to support families with young children from our Coronavirus Response Funding.

Last year there were an estimated 38,130 children in Surrey living in households with at least one of the ‘toxic trio’ (alcohol/substance misuse, domestic abuse, mental health problems).[1]

The term ‘toxic-trio’ refers to:

  • Alcohol/substance misuse
    Children in households where an adult has a drug or alcohol dependence
  • Domestic abuse
    Children in households where an adult has experienced violence or abuse from a partner in the last year
  • Mental health problems
    Children in households where an adult has a clinically diagnosable mental health condition

These have been shown to put children at notably greater risk of immediate harm as well as having a detrimental impact on their later life outcomes.

In Surrey, it is estimated that 8,820 children live in households where a parent is suffering alcohol/drug dependency, 13,590 children live in households where a parent is suffering domestic abuse and 26,730 children live in households where a parent is suffering from a severe mental health problem(s).

There are over 90,000 lone parent households in Surrey.

August 2020

Children and Young People

Young people have been severely impacted by lockdown restrictions and many daily activities have been unavailable during this time. School closures have led to many young people learning from home with altered daily routines, less contact with friends and cancelled exams. Many young people have struggled to learn online and stay focused whilst feeling isolated and unable to engage in their normal avenues of support. Leisure activities that matter to young people have seen a slower ease of lockdown restrictions, with youth clubs, sports clubs, church groups, parks, skate parks and leisure facilities being some of the last facilities to reopen. Whilst the need to control the virus has understandably led to the closure of such facilities it has limited the recreational choices for young people during a time of unease, stress and anxiety. That said, in general, young people have also been able to react quickly to the ever-changing world and virtual communications that many older people have struggled to comprehend.

The crisis will most affect those young people who are already vulnerable and disadvantaged”.

For young people who have complex home lives, Covid-19 has brought extra difficulties as they have no respite from family tensions, and these tensions themselves have been amplified by the restrictions and pressures, both social and financial brought about by Covid19. Some young people have seen much needed face to face mental health support appointments and contact with other supportive adults cancelled or changed and have needed to engage virtually. This has added potential barriers to openness, honesty and trust; all of which have needed to be overcome to allow full engagement with the young person involved.

“The abrupt closure of schools has brought about increased stresses upon children, particularly amongst year 6 students who have missed out on opportunities to say goodbye to teachers and classmates, and also not taken SATs, along with missing transition preparations and visits to prospective secondary schools. Covid-19 is likely to heighten the impact of the transition these pupils face, and lead to many Year 6 children feeling anxious and apprehensive about the here-and-now, in addition to their next chapter.” (see https://mcrmetropolis.uk/transition-years-and-the-lockdown/ for more details).

Laurence Guinness, chief executive of the Childhood Trust, advised ‘that children with special educational needs are…particularly hard-hit. For those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), for example, the loss of extra tuition and their set routines has been “catastrophic”. Some parents said their children’s development had already slipped back by as much as a year.’ (bbc.co.uk ‘Coronavirus: Children ‘developing post-traumatic stress’ from pandemic’).

June 2020

What we are hearing:

Many charities are reporting to us that there has been a significant increase in demand from families with young children with need for items such as medication, nappies, baby bottles and equipment, baby milk, and toddler food being particularly sought after.

Stripey Stork is a Surrey-based organisation that distributes much-needed baby products to families with young children. They advised us:

“Last week one of our referral partners had to advise a family, down to their last few nappies, that they should use tea towels and sellotape as nappies. Fortunately, we were able to supply nappies to this family, but we know there are many families in a similar predicament. These families could not afford to stockpile; they are living hand to mouth. Stripey Stork believes that every baby deserves the same start in life, and therefore we want to continue to supply toiletries and baby necessities for local families in need.

In addition, we are aware of the many families with very few resources to entertain and educate their children who are now home full time. Therefore, we are also supplying activity packs for children.”

We are now preparing bulk crisis packages for referral partners to reduce unnecessary travel and ensure our partners have all the supplies they need.”

“As prisons look to release pregnant women we have also been contacted by a charity supporting pregnant women in prison looking for the basics these ladies will need to care for their babies.

We anticipate that the demand for our crisis packages will only increase over the next two months.”

Home-Start East Surrey also anticipate that referral rates will be high when the country enters the recovery phase of the pandemic:

“We are aware that there has sadly been an increase in reports of incidents of domestic abuse and we believe a steady increase in requests for support will be made.

Overall Covid-19 is having a profound impact on all the communities we work with, the majority of which are in areas that are already significantly socially deprived.  We expect the numerous disadvantages experienced by many of the children we see to be increased or worsened (e.g. their inability to access key stages of their education impacting their life chances in the longer term; the impact of post-natal depression upon the babies of mothers suffering with this; financial hardship impacting upon the physical and emotional health of children).

We believe that we will need to offer more and more varied support over the next 6 to 12 months as the impact of isolation and lack of access to support due to social distancing continue”.

Home-Start East Surrey are planning a number of projects to help their families get through the challenges of the next few months.

Below are the grants we have awarded locally to support families with young children.

CharityProject DescriptionAmount Awarded
Total£54,620
Change of SceneCore costs for a charity supporting disadvantaged young people to receiving training and education
£4,000
Home-Start East Surrey
A contribution to core costs for charity supporting disadvantaged families with young children during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000
Home-Start Elmbridge
Funding for a specialist Family Support Worker to help struggling families with parenting and mental health support amid the Coronavirus pandemic and lock-down£5,000
Home-Start Guildford
Funding toward the essential running costs of an organisation, based in Guildford, that offer a home-visiting support service for targeted families with at least one child aged 6 or under, during the Covid-19 pandemic
£5,000
Home-Start Runnymede and Woking
A contribution to core costs to a charity supporting disadvantaged families during the Coronavirus pandemic£5,000
Home-Start Spelthorne
Contribution to salary costs to enable help and support to be given to families with children under 5 via remote methods during the Covid-19 crisis
£3,000
Home-Start Surrey Heath
Funding toward the essential running costs of an organisation, based in Surrey Heath, that supports families with a child aged 5 or under, that are struggling to cope, during the Covid-19 pandemic
£5,000
Home-Start Waverley
A contribution to core costs for a charity supporting families with young children facing wide-ranging difficulties during the Coronavirus pandemic
£5,000
Oasis Childcare Centre (Oasis)
Funding toward the essential running costs of an organisation, based in Elmbridge, that offers budgeting support to families that have low incomes, during the COVID-19 pademic£5,000
Spurgeons
Funding toward bulk buying of essential items, for an organisation based in Elmbridge, to enable families in poverty to have food, baby items and entertainment, during the COVID-19 pandemic
£5,000
St Johns School, Holmwoods, Dorking
Funding to support disadvantaged families during the Coronavirus pandemic
£2,620
Stripey Stork
Funding toward emergency baby supplies for a charity, based in Reigate and Banstead, that offers support for families in poverty, during the COVID-19 pandemic
£5,000

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