WOKINGHAM Lions Club is presenting 50 Golden Awards of £500 to charities and deserving good causes during 2024.
The latest organisations to receive funding from their 50th birthday gift, are supporting a wide range of borough needs.
These include protecting the environment, supporting domestic abuse survivors, engaging in public arts, supporting young people’s mental health, music, Scouting, and performing arts education, befriending the lonely, and supporting children who are ill, as well as those with additional learning needs.
Wokingham Repair Café provides social, economic, and environmental benefits to Wokingham communities by offering a repair and advice service for broken household items.
Its experienced volunteers mend items free of charge in a relaxed environment at All Saints Church.
The group will use their award to buy a portable electric appliance tester, training,lighting and protective vinyl for work tables.
Wokingham Lions also donated two refurbished laptops from their ReTec project, for use by the cafe.
Kaleidoscopic UK is a survivor led charity , by and for children and adults subjected to domestic abuse.
It provides survivor support groups and a nine week recovery from abuse course.
The golden award will provide meals, arts, crafts and activities for the organisation’s Fun with Mum sessions.
The Lions’ gift means that children will have ongoing support and fun with their families in a safe space.
Arts4Wokingham is working to make arts more accessible and public to Wokingham Borough.
The award will enable them to provide Wokingham artist workshops in collaboration with adoption charity PACT, leading to an exhibition of community art for the annual Wokingham Arts Trail in September.
Soulscape creates space for young people to explore some of the issues that they face, including self-esteem, life choices, drugs, pornography and relationships.
The award means the charity can start a new Lounge project in Emmbrook School – a lunchtime safe space run by their staff team and trained volunteers where young people can escape the crowds, for time to talk and think.
Berkshire Music Trust provides music education to meet the aspirations and needs of children, young musicians, schools and music leaders in Berkshire.
They will use the award to deliver a new programme of free musical activity based in Wokingham Borough Libraries, with first and preschool music sessions, singing for mental wellbeing, and dementia, and intergenerational music workshops for young families, older people and those experiencing financial hardship, social isolation or mental health issues.
The Link Visiting Scheme supports lonely and socially isolated older people throughout the Wokingham borough.
Its volunteer befrienders establish relationships with older residents through regular visits and activities.
The award will enable the organisation to improve its reach to ethically diverse communities and faith groups, by translating brocures and posters into Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Cantonese, for distribution in faith centres and across Wokingham Borough.
Starmaker is a Woodley based youth theatre company providing young people with performing arts training, entertainment industry guidance, and space to meet and socialise while rehearsing for public performances.
The award will help the group to purchase costumes for their October production of Fame.
Me2 Club supports five to 19 year olds with additional needs and disabilities to access social, sports and leisure activities in Wokingham and Reading.
Its volunteer buddies provide extra support for children who need it to join in and have fun.
The Lions award will help to fund their next volunteer training course and DBS checks for up to ten new volunteers.
Local Scout Groups enhance the lives of many young people, with two borough groups receiving a Golden Award.
1st Arborfield Scouts have recently added Wokingham District’s first Squirrels section for four to six year olds.
The award will help to fund swimming, climbing, trampolining, and a summer camp, and may enable the group to open a second Squirrels section.
3rd Wokingham (Mayors Own) Scouts will use their Golden Award to provide new tables for outdoor camping, and will replace their outdoor woodstore at their scout hut in Norreys Avenue, to ensure dry wood for their popular campfires.
Sebastian’s Action Trust supports seriously ill children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, and their families, as well as ongoing bereavement service for families grieving a lost child.
The Lions Award will provide therapeutic falconry days at the trust’s Crowthorne site, The Woodlands, where children, siblings and parents can hold, pet and fly birds for the day.
The Wokingham Lions Club is still inviting local charities and community groups to apply for a Golden Award online, particularly those planning something new in 2024.
This can be a new project or service that needs funding, or a new piece of equipment to enhance or expand what the group does.
To apply, visit: tinyurl.com/wokinghamlions50
For information, visit: www.wokinghamlions.org.uk, www.wokinghamrepaircafe.uk, www.kaleidoscopic.uk, www.pactcharity.org, www.arts4wokingham.com, www.soulscape.org.uk, www.berksmusictrust.org.uk, www.linkvisiting.org, www.starmaker.org.uk, www.me2club.org.uk, www.wokinghamscouts.org.uk, and www.sebastiansactiontrust.org
