FUNDING from Wokingham United Charities (WUC) will allow a Wokingham charity to continue supporting people in crisis.
The Cowshed and Home-Start Wokingham both recieved WUC Charity Champions 2024 awards of £10k a year for two years.
In April Wokingham.Today learnt how the grant has helped Home-Start.
This month CEO Sally Russell and operations manager Becky Russell explain what it means to The Cowshed.
“WUC’s Charity Champions grant has been a life-line for The Cowshed,” said Sally.
“Funding for charities is absolutely horrific at the moment, and although the total amount the nation donates hasn’t gone down, larger charities are receiving the greater share of it, with smaller ones losing out.
“So when an organisation like Wokingham United Charities recognises the work we’re doing it’s absolutely invaluable to us, and we can’t thank them enough.
“Without their support we wouldn’t be here.”
The Cowshed’s workload has been increasing year on year.
“We started seven years ago, and have followed crisis after crisis; the pandemic, the cost of living, and the war in Ukraine,” Sally said.
“Now we’re seeing a lot of asylum seekers, and people continuing to struggle with the cost of living crisis.
“Demand is up right across the borough, and we’re bracing ourselves for the worst.”
The Charity Champions grant can help to future-proof the organisation because, unlike many awards, it isn’t project-based.
Organisations are free to use the money for anything they need, including basic core costs.
“This is very rare,” said Sally.
“Grants often require charities to set up a new project to qualify for support.
“But we’re working full-on, and don’t have the capacity for that.
“We’re already doing a good job supporting the community, and doing it well, and it’s fantastic that WUC wants to help us continue to do just that.”
To help relieve funding pressure The Cowshed has begun to diversify its sources of finance.
“Half our income comes from projects we run,” explained Sally.
“People can pay to attend our sewing classes, learning new skills and meeting people while supporting our work.”
“And at our Little Black Dress sales of donated eveningwear, they can buy wedding outfits and special event dresses (often good quality top-end brands) for less than £30.”
The Cowshed supports anyone in crisis who needs their help.
“A couple of months ago,the police brought a young man to us, who was wearing just a pair of dirty trousers – no top or shoes,” Sally said.
“He had obviously been out all night.
“When the officers asked him where he wanted to go, he kept saying, ‘The Cowshed’, so they brought him to us.
“He came inside and said, ‘Hi, you’re my friends – you helped me a few months ago, when I came out of prison, and I thought you’d be the best place to come because I have nothing.’
“He kept saying sorry for being in a mess.
“So I looked at him and said, ‘you don’t need to apologise to us.
“ ‘We’re simply here to help, and we don’t judge why you’re here.’
“Then he said: ‘I love you,’ and we were all a bit teary after that.
“We’re just glad that he felt safe to come to us.”
Becky remembers another crisis moment a few years ago when the charity helped a mum and her four children.
“Fleeing domestic violence, they had been at the police station all night when they came to us,” she said.
“They were exhausted, distressed, and in fear of their lives.
“The children were barefoot, and in pyjamas.”
The Cowshed provided immediate essentials, followed later by kitchen utensils, bedding, and Christmas presents for the children.
“A year later, Becky met the mum at a charity forum.
“She’s volunteering with another local organisation, and training to be a domestic abuse counsellor,” said Becky.
“It was great to hear that she and the children are doing well.
“She said that if we hadn’t been there for them, she doesn’t know what she would have done.
“The family went to the beach recently and sent us a picture of a heart the children made out of shells, which now has pride of place at The Cowshed.”
On behalf of Wokingham United Charities, charity manager Amy Garstang said: “We are pleased to provide core funding via our Charity Champions grant fund to support the vital work of The Cowshed.
“The organisation plays a crucial role in our community,supplying essential items and clothing to individuals and families in need.
“By covering their core costs we are helping to ensure the they can continue delivering services effectively and sustainably, reaching those who need it most.”
For information, visit: wokinghamunitedcharities.org.uk and thecowshed.org
