£100,000 Community Impact funding supports local organisations to carry on

A total of seven organisations were awarded funding of between £3,220 and £20,000, including Bristol and Avon Chinese Women’s Group, Bristol Poverty Action Group, Life Cycle, North Bristol Advice Centre, Southern Brooks and Way Out West.

Funding increased to £100,000

Uniquely, the funding supports established projects which are already making a difference in their local communities, rather than funding start-up projects.

The aim of the funding is to support organisations to continue providing vital services for older people, whilst looking for ways of improving levels of sustainability.

Community Connections Manager, Debbie Wills, said: “The Community Impact funding initiative originally planned to award grants totalling £60,000.

However, the quality and breadth of the applications we received was so overwhelming that we agreed to increase the available funding to £100,000.”

“We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to apply for funding and we think we’ve chosen a broad range of organisations who are all providing vital services for older people across the south west.

“This includes helping older people to access welfare services, encouraging isolated older people to engage with social activities and funding a community choir.”

The Centre for Sustainable Energy

Local organisations who improve the lives of older people were invited to apply for funding to the St Monica Trust’s Community Impact Team in October.

Funding of up to a maximum of £20,000 was then awarded to organisations who are working to improve the lives of individuals aged 55+.

One of the organisations awarded the maximum grant of £20,000 is the Centre for Sustainable Energy.

The charity has been providing energy advice and support to local people since 1979 and is committed to tackling climate change and ending the misery caused by living in cold homes.

St Monica Trust’s generous support

The Community Impact grant will help fund an experienced energy advisor to deliver home visits and in-depth support to vulnerable older people in Bristol, BANES, South Glos. and North Somerset.

The energy advice service supports older people in fuel poverty and those whose health may be affected by living in a cold home.

The support offered by the service includes helping older people understand their energy consumption, use their heating controls properly, reduce high energy costs, avoid damp and mould in their homes, and switch to better value energy tariffs.

Older people are among those whose health is most at risk from the harmful effects of living in a cold home and in 2013/14 51% of cold related deaths were among people 85 and older.

Centre for Sustainable Energy’s Chief Executive, Simon Roberts OBE, said: “We welcome St Monica Trust’s generous support for the Centre for Sustainable Energy and their recognition of the importance of supporting local organisations to continue the good work already being carried out.

“Older people are one of the most vulnerable groups during the cold weather, particularly if their home isn’t very energy efficient or they are living on a very low income. Nobody should be rationing their heating this winter.

“Thanks to this funding we will be able to continue to provide the in-depth support needed for vulnerable older people across the west of England to enjoy warmer and healthier homes.”

Community Giving Fund

Since the charity was founded in 1920, the St Monica Trust has always supported individuals outside of its retirement communities.

It’s Community Giving Fund helps support people who are over 40 with a physical disability or long-term physical health problem and are experiencing financial hardship.

This can include providing a short-term grant to cover things such as heating bills or extra costs incurred while undergoing treatment for a life-limiting illness.