TWO borough organisations have been awarded substantial grants by Wokingham United Charities (WUC) giving them sustainability and flexibility.
Charity Champions 2024 offers multi-year funding, and can be used to cover core expenses.
The Cowshed and Home-Start Wokingham are both being supported by the award to enable them focus on the people they serve, with each receiving £10k a year for two years.
This month Home-Start Wokingham reveals the difference the grant has made to the group.
“Amy Fennell, scheme fundraiser at Home-Start Wokingham District, said: “Wokingham United Charities has helped us several times in the past few years, and we hugely appreciate their support.
“But this grant is particularly special, and has been like gold dust for us.
“The fact that it lasts for two years has enormously helped us to plan and to invest in our future.
“And it doesn’t restrict what the money can be used for.
“Often grants must pay for a specific project or activity, and very few funders will cover a charity’s core costs.
“But the flexibility of this grant means that we have been able to concentrate funds where they are needed, and to reopen groups that closed during the pandemic.”
The organisation gives vulnerable pre-school children in the Wokingham Borough the best possible start in life.
Requests for its services come from health visitors and from online self-referrals, and its volunteers provide free one-to-one home visiting support, helping young families through what can be the toughest of times.
It received the first of its two £10k Charity Champions grants in July last year, and was able to recruit and train six new volunteers, with a further 12 to 15 to be recruited and trained in the coming year.
It has also been able to fund two family coordinators who provide home visits, and who will soon also be piloting weekly peer support groups for families of multiples (twins, triplets, and quadruplets).
“These will be at a local venue, for around two hours, starting in May,” said Amy.
“We’d love to hear from families with multiples who would like to come to these sessions, and we’re also very keen to hear from more families who would value support from our home visits.
“Our volunteers are ready and waiting.”
Amy Garstang, WUC charity manager, said: ‘It is clear that there is a necessity for flexible and sustainable funding of charities.
“It’s not just about providing financial assistance; it’s about giving them stability and longevity.
“Charity Champions offers the opportunity for multi-year funding for two years, of up to £10,000 per year.
“We aim to provide a solid foundation for the amazing charities driving change in our Borough.”
Home-Start Wokingham was invited to deliver a presentation to its funder, explaining what the grant is enabling them to do.
Amy Fennell said: “It was so lovely to be invited to do this, and to meet the people behind the grant.
“Being able to thank Wokingham United Charities in person, rather than sending a written report, was very special.
“We’d like to say a huge thank you to them.”
For information, and to access Home-Start Wokingham’s services, visit: home-startwd.org.uk
For more about WUC, visit: wokinghamunitedcharities.org.uk
