TWO Wokingham charities have received generous sums from Wokingham Lions, following the group’s successful fund raising efforts last year.
SHARE Wokingham and Home-Start Wokingham District were both granted cheques of £3,500.
Claire Revie from SHARE and Amy Fennell from Home-Start joined Wokingham Lions at their February meeting and were delighted and grateful for the grants.
Ms Fennell said: “ We’d like to say a massive thank you from Home-Start to the Lions for their ongoing support.
“It comes at a time when we need their help more than ever.
“We’re receiving lots more referrals, and this donation will help us to double the number of vulnerable and isolated families we can assist.”
Home-Start Wokingham District supports families in crisis, that have at least one child under five.
Last year they matched 45 families with trained volunteers for practical and emotional support.
Home-Start hopes to double the number of families it can support this year.
Claire Revie said: ” The Wokingham Lions are just lovely.
“They are such a blessing in so many ways; their team helps us with lots of our projects, and they are always interested.
“We were amazed at the amount they have given us, it will help us to upgrade the domestic fridges and freezers that we use.
“We’ll be able to invest in some commercial models, which will benefit all our projects.”
SHARE Wokingham started four years ago to help those in need, and to reduce food waste.
It now works from 15 sites throughout Wokingham Borough, processing around 40 tonnes of food monthly that would have been wasted.
The charity has this year joined with Wokingham Foodbank, and First Days Children’s Charity, to run Roots Community Food Store, a membership-based shop at Norreys Church for residents who can’t afford a full, healthy diet.
It also runs a pilot scheme with Keep Hatch primary school, called The JAM Club (Just about Managing), that offers school children fruit, vegetables and other healthy items.
For more information, visit: www.sharewokingham.co.uk or www.home-startwd.org.uk.
For more about the Wokingham Lions, visit: www.wokinghamlions.org.uk, follow them on social media, or call: 03458 337384.
