FOR A third year running, The Cowshed and HomeStart have both been awarded a grant from Wokingham United Charities, to support their work with disadvantaged people at times of crisis.
Charity Champions is a grant given for core costs; this means that the charity does not have to create a project to attract funding, but can use the money to pay for its basic running costs and services.
Wokingham United Charities awarded the grant to The Cowshed and HomeStart two years ago, committing to give each organisation £10,000 a year, for two years.
Both charities were expecting the second donation to be their last.
But this year Wokingham United Charites made the decision to extend their Charity Champions grant for an extra year, giving both groups a third, and final, further £10,000.
Cowshed operations manager Becky Russell said: “It’s really challenging to get funding for core costs.
“So many of the grant programmes out there require a project, which makes it hard to continue with our basic provision.
“It’s amazing that Wokingham United Charities is keen to support the work we do, and the people we’re helping.
“They believe in what we’re achieving, and it helps so much that they’re not requiring us to reinvent the wheel or create a new project, when we’re already so busy and seeing increased demand for our core services.
“It was an incredible surprise and the best news to hear that they are giving us a third year of Charity Champions funding.
“The funding climate is really difficult just now, so to get this news was just brilliant.
“We’d like to say the biggest thank you to them.”
A Wokingham United Charities spokesperson said: “The Grants Committee has awarded both The Cowshed and HomeStart another £10,000 grant award each for the third and final year of Charity Champions.
“We were encouraged by the work that both the charities continue to deliver and the positive impact it is making for residents across the borough, particularly those most in need.
“Their contribution remains highly valued.”
Wokingham United Charities exists to support individuals and groups to relieve poverty and enhance quality of life for people in need in the community.
The Cowshed helps people of all backgrounds in a time of personal crisis, providing good quality cleaned and ironed clothes and other essentials free to anyone in need.
Home-Start Wokingham offers support to young families through their toughest times, coming alongside disadvantaged and vulnerable families in the Wokingham district with at least one child under the age of five.
For information, visit: wokinghamunitedcharities.org.uk, wokinghamunitedcharities.org.uk and home-startwd.org.uk.
