Support from community organisations, HSF

First of the community grants have been funded

We are thrilled to announce that the first of our community grants have been funded!

Our initial application window for organisations to apply for funding opened in mid-November 2024. We have successfully started providing funding as of late December 2024.

Community organisations who can help

Organisations who are funded by us and offering support.

Organisations offering support Island wide

Aspire Ryde

Aspire Ryde have been awarded a total of £29,230.95 funding to provide a number of different forms of support, most of which will be held at their Dover Street premises in Ryde, but are available to struggling households from across the Island.

Food hampers – Fresh food hampers to the value of £50 each were provided to 100 Island families in need over the Christmas period. Each hamper contains fresh vegetables and proteins, along with other essential items to help families enjoy a nutritious festive meal together.

Community lunch – Aspire’s community hub in Ryde offers a hot meal, to those in need, 4-days per week. Funding has been provided so the provision can be extended to assist an additional 10 meals each day.

Family cookery – Aspire will be running slow cooker and air fryer cookery sessions for 6 different families over a 12-week period. Families will be able to develop their cookery skills and be provided with the appliance they are taught to cook with.

Bags of warmth – Offering 200 bags of warmth, Aspire will be offering energy-efficient heating solutions such as wearable blankets, hats and gloves, hot water bottles and thermos flasks and mugs along with electric blankets and heated throws, all helping to reduce energy costs.

Wootton community lunch – Aspire have recently established a warm hub in Wootton and will be offering a weekly coffee morning providing advice, and information to residents in need, as well as hot drinks and snacks. They will also be holding a community lunch provision, working with a local provider to supply a hot meal once per week.

To contact Aspire about any of these schemes call 01983 716020

Baby Box

The BabyBox Charity have been awarded a further £11,000 to support residents across the Island in need with essential baby items such as nappies, baby formula and milk in addition to items such as nursery furniture, changing mats and toys. Items for toddlers and maternity wear are also available.

To contact Baby Box email babyboxiow@gmail.com

Ventnor Independent foodbank

The independent foodbank in Ventnor has successfully applied for a total of £8,000 to boost their provisions of food, hygiene and essential household items such as washing powder. The foodbank is open to all residents in crisis across the Island.

To contact Ventnor foodbank email vcfbankiow@gmail.com

Daisy Chains

Daisy Chains have successfully applied for £11,819.50 to support families of a child with a long-term health problem or life-limiting condition or disability, as well as the parents of premature babies that have been transferred to a mainland hospital. The funding has been awarded to assist these families (not eligible for free NHS travel) with ferry costs when they are visiting the hospital, as well as heated blankets and a food hamper.

To contact Daisy Chains, please call 07801 424 645 or email: info@daisychainsiw.co.uk

Isle of Wight Council Homeless Prevention team

The Homeless Prevention team at the Isle of Wight Council applied for £350 to purchase warm clothing for Island residents sleeping rough, or those placed at Howard House in Newport. The gifts have been provided as a small Christmas present to these residents.

To contact the Homeless Prevention team please call 01983 823040

Organisations offering support in Cowes

Apex Church

The Apex Church have been awarded £1,470 to support residents living in Cowes and Northwood that attend their warm space. The application was agreed to fund heated blankets and wheat bags that will help to keep warm whilst reducing their energy costs.

To contact the Apex Church please call 01983 221222 or email hello@theapexchurch.org

Northwood Parish Council

Northwood Parish Council’s weekly warm space has been funded £2,080 for food and drink provisions for their weekly warm space, along with a weekly cookery demonstration giving ideas for multiple ways of using everyday items.

To contact Northwood Parish Council email clerk@northwoodparishcouncil.org

Organisations offering support in Shanklin

YMCA

The YMCA have been awarded £5,507 to provide weekly cookery lessons to residents staying at Winchester House. These residents will also be provided with the means to shop independently for the relevant ingredients. Residents moving into properties where they will live independently will be provided with an air fryer so they are able to continue cooking the meals they have learnt, whilst keeping their energy costs lower.

To contact YMCA please call 01983 862441 or email info@ymca-fg.org

Organisations offering support in The Bay, Newport & South Wight

Community Rail Partnership

Community Rail Partnership successfully applied for £20,000 to extend the provision of their Food on the Move project, which sees weekly food hampers of essential cupboard staples, provided to those in need living in Sandown, Shanklin, Brading, Newport & Ventnor.

To contact Community Rail Partnership please call 07583 897693 or email manager@iowcommunityrailpartnershipcic.co.uk

Ventnor Town Council

Ventnor Town Council have applied for funding for multiple projects to support their community, totalling £10,298.

warm packs - warm packs including blankets, hot water bottles, heated throws, adults’ and childrens’ hoodie blankets, hats, gloves, scarves, socks and slippers as well as second hand coats, shoes and boots
warm space - operating from St. Catherine’s Church in Ventnor every Thursday, funding has been provided to supply a nutritious two-course meal to 50 people in need. The meals will include plenty of fruit and vegetables, seasonal where possible and catering for all dietary requirements

To contact Ventnor Town Council about any of these schemes email Catherine Hammond at catherine@ventnortowncouncil.org.uk or call 01983 857848

For details of other organisations that have received funding from us in previous grant rounds, check out our ‘HSF projects - work so fa r’ page. They might still be able to help you.

This is just the beginning, and we are excited to see the positive impact these grants will have on our community!